CHENNAI: To ensure pedestrians’ safety, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) would construct seven foot over bridges (FOBs) with lifts on the Tambaram-Chengalpattu section of the Grand Southern Trunk Road.
The accident-prone stretch has about 30 blackspots – sites that report road accidents frequently – posing serious risks to both motorists and pedestrians equally.
The FOBs, to be constructed at Rs 16.91 crore, are proposed at Perungalathur near Iraniyamman Temple, Vandalur near the railway station, Thailavaram near Estancia Tech Park and one near Valliammal Engineering College, Kattankolathur junction, Maraimalai junction near Township and Singaperumal Koil railway station.
Apart from these, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has planned to build a skywalk connecting Kilambakkam bus terminus and Kilambakkam railway station across the GST Road.
On both sides, the FOBs will have lifts with a minimum carrying capacity of 16 passengers each. Solar panels will be installed over the roof of each FOB and approach ramps, covering more than 2,400 square metres.
After the FOBs are constructed, the NHAI will close the median openings at Thailavaram near Valliammal Engineering College and near Singaperumal Koil railway station, and shift the median opening in other locations to prevent pedestrians from crossing the road.
NHAI officials said these FOBs would ensure the safe crossing of pedestrians. “We have already completed the eight-laning of Perungalathur-Paranur stretch on the GST Road. It has eased the flow of traffic but the pedestrians face difficulty in crossing the road,” the officials said.
As part of measures to eliminate blackspots from Chengalpattu to Tindivanam on GST Road, NHAI would construct a vehicular underpass (VUP) at Bukkathurai junction on GST Road and Vedanthangal - Padalam junction. A flyover would be constructed between Salavadi and Melpettai near Tindivanam on GST Road.