Chennai: New service road to ease Kolathur, Inner Ring Road traffic

CHENNAI: A new service road will soon be built near Kolathur Retteri to ease traffic congestion at the busy junction where Perambur-Redhills Road meets the Inner Ring Road (IRR). The project, estimated to cost Rs 3.42 crore, aims to make vehicle movement between Paper Mills Road and Koyambedu smoother.

At the Retteri Junction, twin flyovers and a pedestrian subway were built with an approved budget of over Rs 52 crore. The main project, which included three service roads, a minor bridge, and stormwater drains, was completed in March 2022. However, the service road on the right side of the IRR could not be built back then because the Kolathur lake was too close to the bridge.

The Water Resources Department recently built a large drainage channel and a compound wall along the lake. This has created enough space for the new service road.

Currently, vehicles coming from Paper Mills Road towards Koyambedu are forced to use the main IRR main carriageway, which is between two flyovers, causing heavy congestion. The pillars of the flyovers also take up space on the road, making the traffic situation worse.

Residents of Kolathur raised this issue with the government and submitted a petition to the CMDA chairman and HR&CE Minister, PK Sekarbabu. On July 26, the Public Works Minister and HR&CE Minister inspected the site and instructed officials to build the road.

The Highways Department has floated bids to construct a 7.5-metre-wide service road and will include footpaths on both sides, paver blocks, kerbs, and safety grills to prevent misuse of the space under the bridge. Stormwater drains will also be provided to handle rainwater. Officials said the new service road will help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow in the area once it is completed.