Deccan Chronicle 18.12.2009

Neglected N. Chennai lacks bridges, flyovers

Dec. 17: The Chennai Corporation in the past two years has inaugurated six flyovers at a cost of about Rs 80 crore to decongest traffic in south Chennai, where most of the state ministers, bureaucrats and judges reside. But, during the same period there has been no such bridge inaugural function in the neglected north Chennai.

For instance the Cenotaph road flyover near Nandanam and three flyovers in T. Nagar were completed either on time or completed much before their contract period. Contrarily the bridge works in north Chennai were pending for several years. Particularly, the construction of Perambur flyover, which was started in 1999, is yet to be completed.

Though the announcement for replacing Perambur Loco works flyover was made in 2006, the work was started only this year. The proposal to construct Vysarpadi railway over bridge was on paper at least for the past 10 years. While construction of railway under bridges at MC Road near Stanley hospital and Villivakkam were progressing at snail’s pace.

Perambur MLA S.K. Mahendran said though many flyovers or vehicular subways were sanctioned for north Chennai, the works were progressing at very slow pace. “The lethargic attitude of the government officials was delaying the completion of the works on time,” he said.

According to Ripon Building sources most of the bridges so far completed in south Chennai were flyovers constructed on roads owned by the corporation, which means the bureaucratic hurdles and inter departmental co-ordination with other government bodies like Chennai Metro water board and Southern Railway is minimal.