Koyambedu pedestrian subway to be built along with Metro Phase 2

The pedestrian subway at CMBT was one among the five pedestrian facilities sanctioned in 2013-14 by the Highways Department. Sources in the department said that they had initially planned to take up the work after the completion of the flyover. “With a Metro station coming up outside the CMBT in Corridor 5 of the phase 2 project, we will decide on the project after consultation with the Chennai Metro Rail,” sources said.

The official said that once the flyover was opened for traffic, most of the vehicles would take the flyover, with only those going to CMBT and Koyambedu market would use the road beneath the flyover. “With the movement of vehicles reducing in the main carriageway, pedestrians will be able to cross the arterial road freely,” the official added.

The four-lane bi-directional flyover, which is being constructed at the cost of Rs 93.5 crore, would help vehicles avoid two signals at CMBT and Jawaharlal Nehru Salai - Kaliamman Koil Street junction. The 1.15 km long flyover would ease the flow of vehicles in the busy junction of Jawaharlal Nehru Salai-Kaliamman Koil street, which witnesses heavy traffic snarl throughout the day. The stretch houses the mofussil bus terminus and the omnibus terminus, besides the Koyambedu vegetable market that is part of the sprawling perishable commodities market complex.

Sources said that the flyover work would be completed by the end of this month and thrown open for public usage.