The Hindu             07.11.2013

Royapettah flyover develops cracks, closed

The flyover has been closed for traffic pending repairs. —Photo: S.S. Kumar

The Peter’s Road flyover, constructed by the Chennai
Corporation in the late 1990’s, has been closed for traffic, because of
cracks that developed on the structure.

The flyover
in Royapettah was among the first 10 flyovers sanctioned in 1997 to ease
traffic congestion in the city. One of the flyovers on Peter’s Road was
inaugurated, along with the Sardar Patel Road Flyover, in February
2000. The second flyover on Peter’s Road was inaugurated a few months
later.

The civic body spent a total of Rs. 15.5 crore on these two mini flyovers.

As
a result of the closure, traffic congestion in the neighbourhood of
Peter’s Road has increased considerably in the past few days. “We spend a
lot of time waiting at the junctions. The traffic police should make
alternative arrangements for traffic diversions to reduce congestion on
this stretch,” said Dominic Raj, an auto driver.

Work
on replacement of worn-out expansion joints on the flyover near
Government Royapettah Hospital began recently and Chennai Corporation
engineers found some additional cracks adjacent to the joints. The
traffic police and the civic body made a decision to close down the
stretch for assessment of the condition including the structural
stability of the flyover.

“The Chennai Corporation
has already reduced the width of the road by constructing the flyover.
This is a bus route. So, the reduced space is insufficient for
motorists. The issue may become more challenging during rush hour,” said
Hussain Basha, another resident of the road.

Meanwhile,
traffic police officials said the Bus Routes Road department of the
Chennai Corporation had taken up repair work on the flyover as cracks
had developed on it. Two motorists had also recently fallen down on the
flyover. “We want to prevent further accidents. Hence, we will be
opening the flyover once the repair work gets completed in a few days,”
said Edison, traffic enforcement inspector, Royapettah.