CHENNAI: Construction of the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal double-decker flyover is progressing at a faster pace, with authorities stepping up work to meet the revised completion target of November 2027.
According to a Maalaimalar report, the 21-km-long elevated corridor, being built at an estimated cost of Rs 3,570 crore to Rs 5,770 crore, is expected to ease traffic congestion by separating freight movement from city traffic.
The project, one of Chennai's largest road infrastructure initiatives, has been designed with two levels from Chennai Port to Koyambedu. The upper deck will function as a six-lane corridor exclusively for container and freight vehicles travelling to and from Chennai Port, while the lower deck will be a four-lane road for public and local traffic. From Koyambedu to Maduravoyal, the corridor will continue as a single-level flyover along the median of Poonamallee High Road.
To improve accessibility, a total of 13 ramps are being constructed on the lower level, including seven entry and six exit points. Entry and exit ramps are planned at locations including Koyambedu, Sivananda Salai, Spur Tank Road and College Road. Separate access lanes are also being built for entry at Sivananda Salai and College Road, while dedicated exit lanes are planned at Kamarajar Salai and Spur Tank Road, allowing motorists to enter and leave the elevated road without affecting through traffic. The flyover begins near Gate No. 10 of Chennai Port, close to Napier Bridge, follows the banks of the Cooum, passes through Koyambedu and ends at the Maduravoyal junction.
Construction activities are under way at a 64-acre casting yard near Chembarambakkam, where massive concrete pillars and box girders are being manufactured for the project. Officials said girder installation, which was initially expected to be completed by May this year, was delayed because of the northeast monsoon and other weather-related factors. At present, work is being carried out for 11 hours a day—five hours during the daytime and six hours at night. Authorities now plan to increase the working hours to 16 hours daily to speed up construction. Installation of girders for the first level has already begun, with a major portion of the project progressing along the Cooum River.
Of the total 21-km corridor, around 15 km runs along the Cooum riverbank as a double-decker structure. Once completed, heavy vehicles travelling to Chennai Port will use the dedicated upper deck, reducing the movement of container trucks on city roads. The lower deck will provide a signal-free route for motorists travelling between central Chennai, Koyambedu and Maduravoyal, cutting travel time considerably.
Officials estimate that the flyover will initially handle around 20,000 local vehicles and 5,500 heavy vehicles every day. Traffic projections indicate that daily local vehicle usage could increase to more than 52,000 by 2047. The corridor has also been planned keeping in view Chennai Port's projected cargo handling capacity of 200 million tonnes annually by 2047, making it a key transport link for both freight movement and urban traffic in the coming decades.