CHENNAI: The State government has moved ahead with plans to widen the existing railway overbridge on the Mount-Poonamallee-Avadi Road, a busy State Highway connecting Chennai with its western suburbs.
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The project, estimated to cost Rs 11.03 crore, is being taken up under the Railway Works Programme on a cost-sharing basis between the State Highways department and the Railways. The proposal was first cleared in 2019 and has now been included in the Railway Works Programme for 2022-23.
The existing overbridge is located between Avadi and Hindu College railway stations on the Chennai-Arakkonam railway line, near the junction of the Mount-Poonamallee-Avadi Road and the Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road. This junction witnesses heavy traffic snarls during the morning and evening peak hours, as the four-lane road narrows at the bridge, creating a major bottleneck.
Currently, the bridge is only 11 metres wide, while the roads on either side are four-lane divided carriageways. This mismatch has long been a cause of congestion, particularly for commuters travelling between Chennai, Avadi and Poonamallee.
Under the widening plan, a new bridge structure will be added alongside the existing one, with improved approach roads on both sides. Retaining walls will be built to support the road approaches, and footpaths will be provided to improve pedestrian safety. The Railways will handle works related to the bridge portion over the tracks, while the Highways Department will carry out the approach road works.
The design for the project was approved by Southern Railways in September 2025.
Once completed, the widened overbridge is expected to remove a key choke point on the Mount-Poonamallee-Avadi Road and significantly reduce traffic congestion at the busy CTH Road junction during peak hours.