The Chennai bypass will get yet another vehicular subway near the Vanagaram toll plaza. This will allow residents on either side of the six-lane wide road, to cross the bypass, without getting onto it.
Official sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said that the location was a black spot and accidents frequently took place there.
The detailed project report (DPR) for the construction of the subway is ready. “Steps will be taken to construct it as soon as possible. It is likely to cost ₹50 crore and will take a year to complete,” an official said.
A total of 29,000 vehicles take the elevated bypass on a daily basis. P. Senthil Kumar, Iyappanthangal resident, said that vehicles from Puzhal take a U-turn at the toll plaza and turn left immediately, and this led to a slowing of traffic at this spot. Vehicles from other areas that need to cross to the other side of the road are forced to drive 1.1 km to the nearest subway and drive back the same distance. “Instead of driving this distance, many motorists, even those in four-wheelers drive this distance on the wrong side, which also leads to accidents at times,” he said.
On a demand from local residents that two openings be provided on the median to permit local traffic, an official source explained that openings had been provided earlier at a distance of 200 metres and 300 metres from the toll plaza. However, since they were causing accidents instead of alleviating the problem, local traffic police officials had instructed that the openings be closed. Reopening them may not be a plausible solution. Further, to avoid traffic jams on the main carriageway at the Vanagaram plaza two additional toll lanes were added, the official said.
