CHENNAI: Pedestrians on the busy Tambaram-Chengalpattu stretch of NH-32 will soon have safer and easier options to cross the highway, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planning four foot overbridges (FOBs) with lifts and CCTV surveillance at key locations.
The FOBs will come up at Urapakkam near Sivan Temple, Guduvanchery near the EB office, Guduvanchery near the railway station and MM Nagar near Ford Junction.
The four locations have been identified as black spots, and the project is intended to improve pedestrian safety on the highway. The Rs 11.38-crore project has several safety features beyond the pedestrian bridges. CCTV cameras will be installed at all four locations and connected to the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) at the NH-32 toll plaza, enabling the facilities to be monitored remotely.
The FOBs will have lifts on both sides of the highway, each capable of carrying at least 16 pedestrians. This is expected to make the crossings more accessible to senior citizens and people with mobility difficulties.
The entire pedestrian walkway, including the approaches, staircases and lift areas, will be illuminated. NHAI has also planned solar panels over the FOBs and their approach ramps.
Road safety infrastructure will include guard rails, road studs, chevron signs and information, cautionary and regulatory signboards around the crossings. The structures will maintain a minimum vertical clearance of 5.5 metres above the highway.
The proposed FOB near the Guduvanchery railway station is likely to be particularly useful for commuters and pedestrians accessing the station. The other locations also witness pedestrian movement across the busy highway.
NHAI had already built lift-equipped FOBs at several locations along the corridor in 2024. These included Perungalathur near Iraniyamman Temple, Vandalur near the railway station, Thailavaram near Estancia Tech Park, Thailavaram near Valliammal Engineering College, Kattankolathur Junction, Maraimalai Junction near Township and Singaperumal Koil railway station.