^^^^^That is two lanes fly over buddy!.. even we are discussing whether this is single lane or 2 lanes fly over few weeks ago...:nuts:

Didn't somebody mention that this flyover was 11m wide( which I think could support 4 lanes??).

Well looking at the picture, 4 lanes may be possibly squeezed, but could be very risky. I wonder why they haven't considered widening the bridge couple of more meters since so much space is apparently available on the sides.

i'll guess too. but once the bypass is done, that itself should provide a lot of relief for this junction. but this is a complex junction. there is metro planned along this. and another elevated road connecting maduravoyal & port. i wonder how all these 3 could coexist here.

But if completed, that would be a wonderful sight, wouldn't it?:)

Any info on -- the flyover from where to where exactly in Usman road ? 850 mts info is good, but thats still not sufficient to fit my imagination to see the endpoints

[QUOTE=ramvaradan;23743616]Any info on -- the flyover from where to where exactly in Usman road ?

^^

From look at the above Pic.. it is starting in front of NEW Saravava Stores (not the old one) and raising before Pothys, continues on the road as in the photo, and ends up before Periyar statue which is in front of T ngr BS or u can say just after T nagar saravana bhavan.! hope it is clear to you...:)

[QUOTE=ramvaradan;23743616]Any info on -- the flyover from where to where exactly in Usman road ?

^^

From look at the above Pic.. it is starting in front of NEW Saravava Stores (not the old one) and raising before Pothys, continues on the road as in the photo, and ends up before Periyar statue which is in front of T ngr BS or u can say just after T nagar saravana bhavan.! hope it is clear to you...:)

It starts well before the new saravana stores. In fact it starts before the Metro showroom etc

[QUOTE=ramvaradan;23743616]Any info on -- the flyover from where to where exactly in Usman road ?

^^

From look at the above Pic.. it is starting in front of NEW Saravava Stores (not the old one) and raising before Pothys, continues on the road as in the photo, and ends up before Periyar statue which is in front of T ngr BS or u can say just after T nagar saravana bhavan.! hope it is clear to you...:)

I am just wondering why the flyover was not taken beyond T.nagar bus terminus. This busy junction is also a major bottleneck in usman road with buses parked outside the terminus etc.
Instead of descending the flyover just near Saravana bhavan, they could have extended for another 300-500mts. Only problem would have been the regulation of traffic at all these junctions during construction. However, this is a minor problem and it is worth taking this pain.

Any views from forumers.

Why would they want to colour all flyovers in green? Is it some kind of a lucky colour for karunanidhi? I was thinking only Jaya liked green. Or are they trying to make Chennai green?

[QUOTE=ramvaradan;23743616]Any info on -- the flyover from where to where exactly in Usman road ?

^^

From look at the above Pic.. it is starting in front of NEW Saravava Stores (not the old one) and raising before Pothys, continues on the road as in the photo, and ends up before Periyar statue which is in front of T ngr BS or u can say just after T nagar saravana bhavan.! hope it is clear to you...:)

Not really clear to me :( I am very poor in locating these stores you had mentioned. AFAIK, this flyover was supposed to start someplace before S. Usman and Doraisamy road junction and terminate on N. Usman Road just after Panagal Park. Is that right?

Could you repeat the location with some geographic pointers? I would highly appreciate that. For example, the location w.r.t. T. Nagar bus terminus or Ranganathan St., etc. A Wikimapia place mark would be even better!

Why would they want to colour all flyovers in green? Is it some kind of a lucky colour for karunanidhi? I was thinking only Jaya liked green. Or are they trying to make Chennai green?

if they are...its a very dull shade of green...

MK stalin inspects the usman road flyover again....

Flyover will be opened by 14th Aug

http://tm.dinakaran.co.in/1082008/TM_100808_E3_06_04%20SLM.jpg

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Govt_clears_10_road_projects_for_Rs_10507_cr/articleshow/3353285.cms

NEW DELHI: A committee on public private partnership on Monday cleared as many as 10 road projects worth an estimated Rs 10,507 crore.

The Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC), chaired by Finance Secretary D Subbarao, involves four-laning of national highways, an official statement said.

Four-lane elevated road project also includes work on the Chennai port to Maduravoyal (NH4)in Tamil Nadu at an estimated cost of Rs 1,345.14 crore has also been cleared

I dont know what structuralist american look is! I am too young for the 60s.

the ugly concrete box buildings and flyovers that has come to be synonimous with American cities.

However what I see here is a whole business/retail district has an alternate way to move vehicles. In that sense it is ok. Snaky path etc, ofcourse the planning dept has done their job :-). There is only so much they can do at the moment (instead of bringing everything down etc) and I think its a good step forward. Plus, good part of flyovers is, no hawkers on top apart from the signal.

Even in developed countries we have so many traffic jams etc. The mentality of the driving indians has to change first for any other bigger change.

Ideally flyovers and vehicles should ber kept away from dense shop front streets like Usman Road which need to be fully pedastrianised and landscaped. The flyovers themselves should have been built around it and not through it. And ofcourse multi-story car parks is a must.

for example like this..

http://www.mcrua.org.uk/guidechester.jpg

http://www.stirling.gov.uk/city_centre_front_page_image.jpg

For example this is what I mean.. 2 lane, one way on both sides of Usman Rd..Usman Rd itself should be fully pedestrianised from Duraisamy Rd Junction to T Nagar Bus stand.
http://i35.tinypic.com/t4xris.jpg

the ugly concrete box buildings and flyovers that has come to be synonimous with American cities.

For example this is what I mean.. 2 lane, one way on both sides of Usman Rd..Usman Rd itself should be fully pedestrianised from Duraisamy Rd Junction to T Nagar Bus stand.


If you leave the whole strech for pedestrians, sadly it will be dirtly encroached by vendors selling lemons to handkys in haphazard manner. India is not meant for anything classy..very sad those dirty kothavalchavadi types will come and start their dirty mouths there

If you leave the whole strech for pedestrians, sadly it will be dirtly encroached by vendors selling lemons to handkys in haphazard manner. India is not meant for anything classy..very sad those dirty kothavalchavadi types will come and start their dirty mouths there

Even more-Ranganathan st itself-pedestrainized. Look at the state of it. Building something is not a problem, maintaining is the problem in India. Fusionist is right in every sense of building stuff/beautification, but there is way too much complication in that area to even get to make it just pedestrianized!

Nevertheless A for effort Fusionist-if you become the planner, you can do better than most people actually doing it.

If you leave the whole strech for pedestrians, sadly it will be dirtly encroached by vendors selling lemons to handkys in haphazard manner. India is not meant for anything classy..very sad those dirty kothavalchavadi types will come and start their dirty mouths there

Part of the problem is the huge rift in the economics of the masses. Looking clean, hygienic & green are priorities for us -- seen through the prism of high-class (admit it or not, if you are typing in this forum you're obviously well-to-do :lol:) attitudes to the city dwelling. You look at a pawn shop or a roadside hawkers .. their priorites are mere subsistence. These are two extremes that will have to acclimatize and blend, if we are to put our best foot forward.

On one hand, we have to realize it would be an overkill for us to say that the city must be swiped clean of the dirt-bags choking the arteries of the city and encroaching the road-side curbs ... But who would take care of their living ? I mean, even if the government built them a Shangrila .. they'd have to come to the city to make a living. Thats where I feel the overcrowding a few dense sq. kms is not helping us. We have to spread thin and sprawl ... We need a new approach, a new model to make our township better and kinship stronger. You like it or not -- the dirty clad folks are OUR FOLKS and we have eons to go with them.

And on the other hand, the junta that live bordering the poverty need to realize the best help is self-help .. looking/living clean is not just an environmental propaganda but it reaps rich rewards in the short and long run.

But I guess its easy to say, if you don't feel in their skin. Easy to be judgemental when you got the gavel & hammer :)

Well said Ramvaradan...

Pedestrianizing is the way to go; we can add cleanliness etc. later, one step at a time :)

Part of the problem is the huge rift in the economics of the masses. Looking clean, hygienic & green are priorities for us -- seen through the prism of high-class (admit it or not, if you are typing in this forum you're obviously well-to-do :lol:) attitudes to the city dwelling. You look at a pawn shop or a roadside hawkers .. their priorites are mere subsistence. These are two extremes that will have to acclimatize and blend, if we are to put our best foot forward.

On one hand, we have to realize it would be an overkill for us to say that the city must be swiped clean of the dirt-bags choking the arteries of the city and encroaching the road-side curbs ... But who would take care of their living ? I mean, even if the government built them a Shangrila .. they'd have to come to the city to make a living. Thats where I feel the overcrowding a few dense sq. kms is not helping us. We have to spread thin and sprawl ... We need a new approach, a new model to make our township better and kinship stronger. You like it or not -- the dirty clad folks are OUR FOLKS and we have eons to go with them.

And on the other hand, the junta that live bordering the poverty need to realize the best help is self-help .. looking/living clean is not just an environmental propaganda but it reaps rich rewards in the short and long run.

But I guess its easy to say, if you don't feel in their skin. Easy to be judgemental when you got the gavel & hammer :)

^^Good attitude wishing prosperity to everyone including the downtrodden... Should be included in every project. Hats off.:)

^^Good attitude wishing prosperity to everyone including the downtrodden... Should be included in every project. Hats off.:)

I too wish prosperity to all. I can also write ideal things and the so called "Well said" statements.

If you had walked down South Usman road or NSC bose road in the evening, you will know what i meant.
I have also had the pleasure of hearing it from their foul mouth if I walked any close to their "lemons/mangoes" placed on the road in my attempt to dodge the oncoming traffic. If you hear it from them once, you will lose any sympathies for them. So much is the respect for pedestrians in our country today.

These fellows did not occupy the middle of the road only because buses and cars were still being allowed. If not then that whole road would have been covered with them without any space to walk.

Did you read about the encroachment near the new usman flyover immediately after the service road was laid. They started hanging dresses on the side of the flyover.

Part of the problem is the huge rift in the economics of the masses. Looking clean, hygienic & green are priorities for us -- seen through the prism of high-class (admit it or not, if you are typing in this forum you're obviously well-to-do :lol:) attitudes to the city dwelling. You look at a pawn shop or a roadside hawkers .. their priorites are mere subsistence. These are two extremes that will have to acclimatize and blend, if we are to put our best foot forward.

On one hand, we have to realize it would be an overkill for us to say that the city must be swiped clean of the dirt-bags choking the arteries of the city and encroaching the road-side curbs ... But who would take care of their living ? I mean, even if the government built them a Shangrila .. they'd have to come to the city to make a living. Thats where I feel the overcrowding a few dense sq. kms is not helping us. We have to spread thin and sprawl ... We need a new approach, a new model to make our township better and kinship stronger. You like it or not -- the dirty clad folks are OUR FOLKS and we have eons to go with them.

And on the other hand, the junta that live bordering the poverty need to realize the best help is self-help .. looking/living clean is not just an environmental propaganda but it reaps rich rewards in the short and long run.

But I guess its easy to say, if you don't feel in their skin. Easy to be judgemental when you got the gavel & hammer :)

Down to earth and practical approach and attitude.
Quite different than the holier than thou attitute very often displayed by elite section of our society which as pointed out by Ramvaradan includes most of SSC members.

Down to earth and practical approach and attitude.
Quite different than the holier than thou attitute very often displayed by elite section of our society which as pointed out by Ramvaradan includes most of SSC members.

The attitude of the elite will rub on the masses by 3008, provided still the earth is still a living planet.:lol:

I too wish prosperity to all. I can also write ideal things and the so called "Well said" statements.

If you had walked down South Usman road or NSC bose road in the evening, you will know what i meant.
I have also had the pleasure of hearing it from their foul mouth if I walked any close to their "lemons/mangoes" placed on the road in my attempt to dodge the oncoming traffic. If you hear it from them once, you will lose any sympathies for them. So much is the respect for pedestrians in our country today.

These fellows did not occupy the middle of the road only because buses and cars were still being allowed. If not then that whole road would have been covered with them without any space to walk.

Did you read about the encroachment near the new usman flyover immediately after the service road was laid. They started hanging dresses on the side of the flyover.

I would have thought pedestrianisation IS to allow the small sellers to occupy the middle of the road. Most pedestrianised city centres do have their own cleaning/management team that manages the pedestrianised zone. Temporary stalls can be made in the MIDDLE of the road for fruit sellers, sweet and chat shops etc as long as they pay a small amount of money for maintainace ie cleaning, security etc Obviously there should be some law, like no to retailer shops etc

for example look at this..

http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/new-images/street-market.jpg

Usman road is wide enough to have pedestrians & tiny temporary shops like this in the middle aswell as space to walk if pedestrianised and maintained properly :dunno:

I would have thought pedestrianisation IS to allow the small sellers to occupy the middle of the road. Most pedestrianised city centres do have their own cleaning/management team that manages the pedestrianised zone. Temporary stalls can be made in the MIDDLE of the road for fruit sellers, sweet and chat shops etc as long as they pay a small amount of money for maintainace ie cleaning, security etc Obviously there should be some law, like no to retailer shops etc

for example look at this..

http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/new-images/street-market.jpg

Usman road is wide enough to have pedestrians & tiny temporary shops like this in the middle aswell as space to walk if pedestrianised and maintained properly :dunno:

I think this sounds like a good idea, wish Chennai would adopt a similar approach to retail-heavy districts like T. Nagar. Imagine the entire area surrounding Panagal Park becoming a pedestrian-only zone. A flyover (or a set of flyovers) could be built over this area.

^^Do any of the metro alignments criss-cross T.Nagar?

No, the planned metro as we know it does not touch the T.Nagar area at all. Weird!

I hope at least in future phases (if they are taken up), some underground connectivity is provided to the Panagal Park/Pondy Bazaar area.

Ideally, IMHO, S. Usman Road, Panagal Park and Pondy Bazaar should be made pedestrian only, and monies should used mostly to build parking spaces. For example, T.Nagar Terminus can be developed to have a multi-level parking facility above the present bus stand. Transit within this area should be by dedicated bus lanes/electric trams only. An underground metro would not hurt too. Some arrangement should be made for residents. All through traffic can be on flyover systems here.

With proper planning and implementation, this shopping hub can start looking like those pictures posted on this thread. It is a difficult proposition, but most of these things in India are!

Usman road is wide enough to have pedestrians & tiny temporary shops like this in the middle aswell as space to walk if pedestrianised and maintained properly :dunno:

"if pedestrianised and maintained properly" This is really the key. Even i dream of a day when we can walk through nicely organized stalls in Chennai.

But whatever evidence we have so far, it will become another kothavaal chavadi.

What concerns me about Urban planning in India is the use of the same failed ideas to solve traffic problems. Building more flyovers and broadening roads cannot be a solution to all problems.No Indian city has tried to come up with any innovative ideas like Cycle corridors. Most major Indian cities have a population of over(or close to) 10 million.With such populations, innovative ideas of planning r required.Also, the administrators take a top-down approach to traffic mangement.They ignore the vast majority at the bottom of pyramid whose only private vehicle is the humble cycle.A large percentage of commute is <5km and cycle tracks would be excellent for such short commutes.Besides, it would also help in easing pollution.
My grouse is that no city has thought of in this area.Most of our countrymen can afford cycles and it is time that the administrators did something for them.
I hope that some Indian city takes this initiative and implements cycle corridors sucessfully.They can then showcase that to other cities as effective traffic solutions.Then hopefully, other Metros would follow suit as they have with the Metro.
It is also risk free.Building cycle corridors would take very less space and money. I know that this is pretty radical for India but am an optimist.:cheers:

Am not saying that we sud neglect roads and other allied infrastructure.Am sayin that we sud complement them with innovative low cost solutions like cycle corridor

What concerns me about Urban planning in India is the use of the same failed ideas to solve traffic problems. Building more flyovers and broadening roads cannot be a solution to all problems.No Indian city has tried to come up with any innovative ideas like Cycle corridors. Most major Indian cities have a population of over(or close to) 10 million.With such populations, innovative ideas of planning r required.Also, the administrators take a top-down approach to traffic mangement.They ignore the vast majority at the bottom of pyramid whose only private vehicle is the humble cycle.A large percentage of commute is <5km and cycle tracks would be excellent for such short commutes.Besides, it would also help in easing pollution.
My grouse is that no city has thought of in this area.Most of our countrymen can afford cycles and it is time that the administrators did something for them.
I hope that some Indian city takes this initiative and implements cycle corridors sucessfully.They can then showcase that to other cities as effective traffic solutions.Then hopefully, other Metros would follow suit as they have with the Metro.
It is also risk free.Building cycle corridors would take very less space and money. I know that this is pretty radical for India but am an optimist.:cheers:

Am not saying that we sud neglect roads and other allied infrastructure.Am sayin that we sud complement them with innovative low cost solutions like cycle corridor

I fully endorse your suggestion. We are trying to ape the American model of development and going after building flyovers, cars, etc. It would help us if we can look at the European cities and towns and how pedestrians and cyclists are part and parcel of the landscape there.

American model may not suit us as all of us are not going to have cars and the cities are not planned for large number of cars and fast moving vehicles.

What concerns me about Urban planning in India is the use of the same failed ideas to solve traffic problems. Building more flyovers and broadening roads cannot be a solution to all problems.No Indian city has tried to come up with any innovative ideas like Cycle corridors. Most major Indian cities have a population of over(or close to) 10 million.With such populations, innovative ideas of planning r required.Also, the administrators take a top-down approach to traffic mangement.They ignore the vast majority at the bottom of pyramid whose only private vehicle is the humble cycle.A large percentage of commute is <5km and cycle tracks would be excellent for such short commutes.Besides, it would also help in easing pollution.

My grouse is that no city has thought of in this area.Most of our countrymen can afford cycles and it is time that the administrators did something for them.

I hope that some Indian city takes this initiative and implements cycle corridors sucessfully.They can then showcase that to other cities as effective traffic solutions.Then hopefully, other Metros would follow suit as they have with the Metro.

It is also risk free.Building cycle corridors would take very less space and money. I know that this is pretty radical for India but am an optimist.:cheers:

Am not saying that we sud neglect roads and other allied infrastructure.Am sayin that we sud complement them with innovative low cost solutions like cycle corridor

Absolutely, cycling is the greenest way to commute and quickest way to burn calories. The next revolution is not technological but an Energy Revolution. The scientiest are going to scurry & scamper over the renewable energey sources whereas the benefits of such cycling corridor would be enormous in a per-capita fuel combustion rate. We have to pull all the stops, as there is no silver bullet to this energy crisis.

We should in effect make the office space thinner and even possibly vanquish where possible ... promote tele-commuting. Its a cultural paradigm, so to speak .. even housewives do not want their hubbies lurking around in pyjamas all day long :lol: .. not giving them their 'privacy' time. So we might
as well wear a suite and a tie and go to the nearest park, and stake out there with a laptop (reminds Thangavel joke in K. parisu)

A Bank Manager complained to me -- they still get customers in the Bank just to take receipts and do the 'pass book' entries and sundry. When such old-school of thoughts are flushed down the drain, then the silly errands to Bank/Power/Water/Regn. will go away.

Unfortunately, India is getting into per-capita-vehicle-mode .. where everyone fancies someone CAR/Vehicle. Its too late to jump on that bandwagon, the train has left the station.

What concerns me about Urban planning in India is the use of the same failed ideas to solve traffic problems. Building more flyovers and broadening roads cannot be a solution to all problems.No Indian city has tried to come up with any innovative ideas like Cycle corridors. Most major Indian cities have a population of over(or close to) 10 million.With such populations, innovative ideas of planning r required.

I would tend to agree. I would wish the govt. spend double of what they spend now on improving public transportation and creating eco-friendly travel rathen than building ill-planned flyovers and elevated highways. They are even taking up river banks for elevated roads? I think this is a disasterous move. I would wish cycle only lanes, along the river corridors plus waterways transportation would be a better idea.

As for private vehicular transport, improving the quality of b-grade roads and arterial roads would immensely help decongested the traffic filled A Raods and main roads. This along with public campaign to encourage people to use public transportation is the right way forward in my book.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/14/images/2008081458040201.jpg

CHENNAI: New traffic arrangements will come into force at the Panagal Park junction in T. Nagar after the inauguration of Usman Road flyover on Thursday, said a release from the traffic police.

Vehicles from South Usman Road intending to proceed towards North Usman Road would use the route via Madley Roundabout, Usman Road and the new flyover to reach their destination. Likewise, vehicles from North Usman Road intending to proceed towards South Usman Road would use the flyover to reach South Usman Road.

Vehicles from North Usman Road intending to proceed towards G.N. Chetty Road, Thyagaraya Road, Venkatnaryana Road and Doraiswamy Road would use the eastern side of the flyover’s service road, Prakasam Road and Bashyam Road. Those who intend to proceed towards Usman Road and T. Nagar bus terminus can use the flyover to reach their destination.

Vehicles from Doraisamy Road intending to proceed towards G.N. Chetty Road, Thyagaraya Road and Venkatnarayana Road would have to go via Doraisamy Road, turn left in to North Usman Road and Prakasam Road. Alternatively, they can use the route via Doraisamy Road, Pothys Junction, Nageswara Rao Road and Bashyam Road to reach their destination. Vehicles intending to proceed towards Kodambakkam Bridge can take the service road of the flyover.

Vehicles from G.N. Chetty Road, Thyagaraya Road and Venkatnarayana Road intending to proceed towards North Usman Road would go via the Venkatnarayana Road - Nageswara Rao Road junction, Bashyam Road, G.N. Chetty Road, Rohini Roundabout, Ragavaiah Road and Bazullah Road. Likewise, vehicles proceeding to Doraisamy Road and Usman Road would go through Nageswara Rao Road and Pothys junction.

The new flyover’s eastern side service road would be open to vehicles from Pothys towards Madley junction.

The western service road could be used only for the movement from Madley junction towards Ramanathan Street. The western service road beyond Ramanathan Street would offer only one-way traffic from Pothys to Ramanathan Street. Vehicles on the western service road must take a left towards Doraisamy subway.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/14/stories/2008081458040200.htm

CHENNAI: Flyovers are the most expensive and extravagant solution to the traffic congestion in cities. But have they fulfilled their utility? Both experts and town planners have their own reservations about this.

They also equivocally agree that flyovers will not be able to take the brunt of ever increasing traffic in future. “Flyovers have been built in isolation. Transportation and mobility management should have been a part of the flyover plans from the beginning.

They have not helped in reducing traffic congestion in the city,” says M G Devasahayam, Managing Trustee, Sustain – an NGO dealing with issues of urban sustainability.

Dr Abdul Razak Mohamed, a professor in Town Planning at Anna University, shares this view. “Flyovers are only a temporary solution. The way they have been constructed is what I call a reactive plan approach, where it should ideally be pro-active,” he says.

“In congested city areas, where traffic intersections are at close intervals, a mini-flyover simply passes the problems of traffic flow to the next traffic intersection. It is a proven fact that flyovers have never solved the city’s traffic problem. They simply shift bottlenecks from one point to another,” says Oscar Concessao, an urban planner and architect.

Dr K R Thooyavan, an Urban Planning Consultant and retired Chief Planner, CMDA, has says. “In early ‘80s, small round tanas were made to solve traffic issues. Later, traffic signals became popular, but they couldn’t keep up with the traffic on the roads.

That is when flyovers came up.” Once a flyover is opened for traffic, nobody cares to check its usefulness. According to experts, after-studies to analyse their impact on commuters are unheard of.

A few years from now, the traffic on flyovers will exceed the design capacity. What do we do, cantilever off an extra lane or lanes? Can we merge or diverge manoeuvres at the entry, exit lanes? These are some issues which, experts feel, need to be addressed immediately.

Experts do acknowledge that traffic snarls would have been worst if there were no flyovers. “Flyovers have reduced congestion. Traffic volume studies show that big traffic issues have been addressed by them,” says Subhash Chandra, former chairman of Institute of Town Planners, Tamil Nadu Chapter.

Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni also echoes this. “It is not as bad as some would like to show it to be. It is the growth in vehicle population that is responsible for traffic-related issues,” he says.

The solution: Unlike the flyovers of the ‘90s, one constructed in the new decade needs a concerted effort. “Optimisation and integrated approach to traffic is important. Traffic engineering, removal of encroachments and optimisation of bus services are crucial,” asserts Devasahayam.

Thooyavan emphasises on the need of multi-level flyovers, multi-lane systems and a cohesive planning from MRTS, MTCs and the Highways. “We should also look at reserved paths for pedestrians and cyclists,” he says.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920080814114454&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0

CHENNAI: Flyovers are the most expensive and extravagant solution to the traffic congestion in cities. But have they fulfilled their utility? Both experts and town planners have their own reservations about this.

They also equivocally agree that flyovers will not be able to take the brunt of ever increasing traffic in future. “Flyovers have been built in isolation. Transportation and mobility management should have been a part of the flyover plans from the beginning.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920080814114454&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0
Finally, an informative article in one of the mainstream newspapers about the efficacy of flyovers.Most of our print media gets carried away by flyovers.They give regular construction updates but forget to see the benefits after construction.

A flyover should only be constructed as a last resort when all other traffic solutions have run out. I cannot think of a single flyover in the past decade which has made a big difference to the travel time and comfort.On the other hand some effective solutions like traffic one ways have lead to noticeable traffic improvements.Some examples-One way at Halda junction in Guindy, one way at Junction of Velachery road and Sardar Patel road,Traffic diversions around Ashok pillar in Ashok nagar.These arrangements have made a lot of difference.

One more effective solution is to utilise the entire width of road.In city,IRR or Jawaharrlal nehru road is one where a large portion of the road is unused. It's gotta be the least maintained major city road.Though it is 6 laned with some stretches 8 lane and even 10 lanes wide, the left margins of the road are hardly utilised. No one uses footpaths on the entire stretch bcoz it is encroached upon everywhere.Buses do not have dedicated bays. Added to all this, Lots of overloaded share autos with zig zag movements

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/15/images/2008081553140101.jpg

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/15/stories/2008081557860100.htm

^^:banana:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9831/78824660vu2.jpg[/URL]

Finally, an informative article in one of the mainstream newspapers about the efficacy of flyovers.Most of our print media gets carried away by flyovers.They give regular construction updates but forget to see the benefits after construction.

A flyover should only be constructed as a last resort when all other traffic solutions have run out. I cannot think of a single flyover in the past decade which has made a big difference to the travel time and comfort.On the other hand some effective solutions like traffic one ways have lead to noticeable traffic improvements.Some examples-One way at Halda junction in Guindy, one way at Junction of Velachery road and Sardar Patel road,Traffic diversions around Ashok pillar in Ashok nagar.These arrangements have made a lot of difference.

One more effective solution is to utilise the entire width of road.In city,IRR or Jawaharrlal nehru road is one where a large portion of the road is unused. It's gotta be the least maintained major city road.Though it is 6 laned with some stretches 8 lane and even 10 lanes wide, the left margins of the road are hardly utilised. No one uses footpaths on the entire stretch bcoz it is encroached upon everywhere.Buses do not have dedicated bays. Added to all this, Lots of overloaded share autos with zig zag movements

There are several examples where flyovers have helped. Maybe the exponential growth in vehicular traffic have mollified the apparent utility of these flyovers... but one should imagine the plight w/o the flyover but with the traffic growth to correctly assess the value added. I mean when we
retrospect -- we often go like, 'Ok it used be as crowded as this, back in 1990-s so what have we gained, ' but the missing piece is the current
traffic level. Only to say -- sometimes our memories are not very accurate.

Flyovers are meant to address the short term problems faced in traffic junctions. As such its not a solution but it lessens the congestion to
some extent. No matter what you do to Chennai, you cannot solve the chronic issues due to lack of proper initial planning. The problems are deep rooted in the fabric of the society and its economics the way we deal with our slums, street peddlers, encroachers, pollution etc

The cardinal sin is repeating the same sin. In the IT Corridor they've miniaturized all the problems Chennai faces (Water, Sewage, Traffic, Intersections) and regurgitate with no real innovative solutions.

There are several examples where flyovers have helped. Maybe the exponential growth in vehicular traffic have mollified the apparent utility of these flyovers.

That's my point.Flyovers need big investments and when they are finished, they should make a big difference to traffic but most often they don't.If the increase in traffic has led to no apparent benefit by flyovers, then other methods should be explored.When projects are designed, the final aim should be something like this
- The time of commute between Airport to Chennai Central , in rush hour, should be no more than 25 min(from 45-50min now) but our planning is somethink like this- Let us build a flyover at Teynampet Signal to ease traffic.By this, the congestion at that particular junction may have been resolved but a bigger jam would occur at the next junction and the time of commute between two points would not have changed much.

Am not against flyovers, per se, but their costs outweigh their benefits.I believe that elevated roads of atleast 5km would be a far better solution than random flyovers.Even if flyovers are constructed, they should be constructed at all major junctions of a road.Having them at some and not others would not help much.I remember travelling to Dellhi Airport(from Noida) and my rough estimate would be that I passed through about 7-8 flyovers one after other in a short time.I support something like the above Delhi model where all intersections of a mjor road have flyovers.

^^:banana:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9831/78824660vu2.jpg[/URL]

They never miss an opportunity to pride themselves.

That's my point.Flyovers need big investments and when they are finished, they should make a big difference to traffic but most often they don't.If the increase in traffic has led to no apparent benefit by flyovers, then other methods should be explored.When projects are designed, the final aim should be something like this
- The time of commute between Airport to Chennai Central , in rush hour, should be no more than 25 min(from 45-50min now) but our planning is somethink like this- Let us build a flyover at Teynampet Signal to ease traffic.By this, the congestion at that particular junction may have been resolved but a bigger jam would occur at the next junction and the time of commute between two points would not have changed much.

Am not against flyovers, per se, but their costs outweigh their benefits.I believe that elevated roads of atleast 5km would be a far better solution than random flyovers.Even if flyovers are constructed, they should be constructed at all major junctions of a road.Having them at some and not others would not help much.I remember travelling to Dellhi Airport(from Noida) and my rough estimate would be that I passed through about 7-8 flyovers one after other in a short time.I support something like the above Delhi model where all intersections of a mjor road have flyovers.

It is amusing that these points are raised once the fly over is completed.It should have been better had the same reasoning made well before the construction of these fly overs.:lol:

It is amusing that these points are raised once the fly over is completed.It should have been better had the same reasoning made well before the construction of these fly overs.:lol:

My point is a general one and not in anyway linked to the Tnagar flyover.I have posted my views on mini flyovers many times before on Skyscrapercity.Traffic planning for the city must be Holistic .For effective planning, the city and the suburbs should be taken as an single entity and plans sud be made accordingly to regulate traffic to facilitate easy movement of people and cargo.

It is amusing that these points are raised once the fly over is completed.It should have been better had the same reasoning made well before the construction of these fly overs.:lol:

I have been complaining about flyovers for years :dunno:

Actually I even sent an email to IBNlive urging them to cover the issue a long while ago. No replies unfortunately.

Maybe we should start our own TV. Chennaiites' Civic Redressals TV, CCRTV.
24 hr non-stop whining about Chennai and Suburbs and the state of (mal)functioning.

“Karunanidhi keen on easing congestion”

“The flyover work was completed in 12 months ahead of the set timelimit of

18 months”

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was keen on declaring open a facility aimed at providing a solution to the problem of traffic congestion in T. Nagar, on the eve of Independence Day. This was why he agreed to inaugurate the flyover built at the junction of Usman Road-Doraiswamy Road on August 14, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin told the function held in the city on Thursday.

Recalling that he and Mayor M.Subramanian, along with officials, met the Chief Minister last month to ascertain his availability, Mr Stalin said that they requested him to indicate any date between August 15 and August 20. But, “why not on August 14” was the response of the Chief Minister.

[Built at the cost of Rs.19.8 crore, the flyover is 781 metres long and 11 metres wide].

Referring to the demand made by local councillor J. Karunanidhi for a flyover at the junction of Usman Road-Burkit Road, Mr.Stalin said this would be taken up after observing the traffic flow on the new flyover for a couple of weeks.

The Mayor said that in the last one year, the Local Administration Minister had visited on numerous occasions the T. Nagar flyover site to monitor the progress of the work.

Municipal Administration and Water Supply Secretary K. Deenabandu said the work was completed in 12 months, instead of the original timeframe of 18 months.
Road works under way

Chennai Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said a total of 15 flyovers had been planned. Road works, costing Rs.125 crore, were under way.

Deputy Mayor R. Sathyabama and Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy were among those present on the occasion.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/15/stories/2008081558430300.htm

“Karunanidhi keen on easing congestion”

Chennai Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said a total of 15 flyovers had been planned. Road works, costing Rs.125 crore, were under way.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/15/stories/2008081558430300.htm

15 more!?! Why can't they try to use those funds to acquire properties along the road to a width of ten feet each side and widen those roads first? Is that because the powers-that-be cannot make a side income on such projects? :lol:

For example, I have been to Hyderabad's Ameerpet area during NTR's time and later, many times when Chandrababu Naidu was CM. The contrast has to be seen to be believed. I believe an AP High Court ruling in favour of the state helped speed up matters. The roads in that area were widened by acquiring properties on either side for 10 feet or so, and the owners were compensated by providing built up space above their existing properties, based on the area they had given the corporation. That part does look a but ugly, but the widened road has worked wonders!

A similar solution may be tried on many Madras roads: LB Road, RK Math Road, Arcot Road, Royapettah High Road, Burkit Road, Perambur High Road, etc. to name a few. Just widening these roads would make a significant difference...

For example, the proposed multi-level flyover at Jayanthi junction on LB Road would work only with widened roads. Why can't the roads be widened and traffic flow smoothened before building something here? Instead, Madhya Kailash, IMHO needs a flyover more than any other place nearby. What say?

^^
I don't know how the policing works in Hyd., but in chennai I am sure that the day after the road is widened and inagurated, you will see shops and hawkers occupying the space. Then the whole point of wideding the road is lost. On the contrary, flyovers cannot be encroached upon. I am a not a fan of flyovers. But we have to choose between the two- widening and losing it again to encroachers or having an eyesore of a flyover and have atleast two lanes for vehicles.
My point is that widening will help only if there is strict policing and rules to prevent encroachers.

15 more!?!
For example, the proposed multi-level flyover at Jayanthi junction on LB Road would work only with widened roads. Why can't the roads be widened and traffic flow smoothened before building something here? Instead, Madhya Kailash, IMHO needs a flyover more than any other place nearby. What say?

A flyover at Madhya Kailash is a must, but there is MRTS line crossing, will flyover work there ?

May be the fly over could be T shaped , viewed from IIT Road side.

Just a proposal: In congested high traffic areas with narrow roads, all the shops/businesses at the roads edge can be taxed to a high level making it infeasible for the owners to rent them. This would force them to sell the property instead of owning them. The Govt can acquire the property and demolish them to widen the roads.

Just a proposal: In congested high traffic areas with narrow roads, all the shops/businesses at the roads edge can be taxed to a high level making it infeasible for the owners to rent them. This would force them to sell the property instead of owning them. The Govt can acquire the property and demolish them to widen the roads.

Are there any precedents for such a policy?

It may be ultra vires and the affected party might sue the government for discriminating against them.

Kathipara

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1589/dsc04053pu4.jpg



PVNR Elevated highway Hyderabad

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/1149/shamshabad4wh9.jpg


Look at the technological difference !

double post

Look at the technological difference ![/QUOTE]


This seems to be the case in every road/flyover project in Chennai. From IT corridor to Kathiapara, i see labour intensive/primitive methods being used. I think that is one of the reasons for the enormous delays in all chennai road projects. Not sure what prevents the contractors from using these heavy machines to get things done. Simplex-somdutt which is executing the Kathipara flyover is a fairly big firm and not sure what their need is to rely on labour intensive process. May be they exhaust all their money paying off the politicians

PVNR Elevated highway Hyderabad

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/1149/shamshabad4wh9.jpg


Look at the technological difference !

I don't exactly know abt the machine being used for the elevated road in H'bad but I have seen this machine in the Delhi Metro and B'lore Elevated road threads. Kathipara and Padi have been going on for over three years now. Just A thought--If the infra projects progress at such speeds, the precious few civil and structural engineers would work on not more than 4-5 projects in their lifetime.Bad for them personally and bad for the country's manpower needs.

Ahem, maybe we should let the experts comment on the construction method adopted. An intelligent guess tells me that the same method of using precast sections cannot be adopted for a flyover with constant elevation and orientation changes. The reason: the cast would need to be different for each section, so its just cheaper to cast it in-situ.

The pvnr expressway and kathipara are a bad comparison

Good point. However, I feel that the fit and finish dept in recent projects in TN is lacking. This from a land that is used to building precision in stone that lasted for centuries (look at the mammoth temples). Pride of workmanship is a general problem in today's India, of course, our Money Easting Politicians are the prime reason for such a sad state of affairs. The Kathipara junction was executed over donkeys years for a project that should not have taken more than 9 months.

I hope the general populace is watching the Beijing Olympics and are awed at the state of affairs in neighboring nation. What China achieved in the last few years is mind boggling. Here we are struggling with puny projects and a city that looks ready for a complete tear down and rebuild. Our politicians go around in dhoti bleating the bugle horn mighty proud of their achievement and promising more of the same. Where is the vision of a Raja Raja Chola leader.

15 more!?! Why can't they try to use those funds to acquire properties along the road to a width of ten feet each side and widen those roads first? Is that because the powers-that-be cannot make a side income on such projects? :lol:

For example, I have been to Hyderabad's Ameerpet area during NTR's time and later, many times when Chandrababu Naidu was CM. The contrast has to be seen to be believed. I believe an AP High Court ruling in favour of the state helped speed up matters. The roads in that area were widened by acquiring properties on either side for 10 feet or so, and the owners were compensated by providing built up space above their existing properties, based on the area they had given the corporation. That part does look a but ugly, but the widened road has worked wonders!

A similar solution may be tried on many Madras roads: LB Road, RK Math Road, Arcot Road, Royapettah High Road, Burkit Road, Perambur High Road, etc. to name a few. Just widening these roads would make a significant difference...

For example, the proposed multi-level flyover at Jayanthi junction on LB Road would work only with widened roads. Why can't the roads be widened and traffic flow smoothened before building something here? Instead, Madhya Kailash, IMHO needs a flyover more than any other place nearby. What say?

I don't agree at all that in Hyderabad the authotities are successful in road widening.There are many roads here in Hyderabad which require urgent widening like secunderabad to koti via c'pally ,narayanguda,ymca Himayatnagar-liberty.Nallakunta,koti to Afzalgunj, to quote a few.Further,in Hyderabad the roads are narrower compared to chennai and the hawkers problem persists.The two subways constructed in a shabby manner are now closed owing to impractical planning.Even NTR/C.B.Naidu were not able to do much in road widening because of resistance from the residents and demand for huge compensation from the owners.Even they are unable to construct a fly over at an important junction(R.T.C cross roads) due to objections and political interferences.This is democratic India every thing happens at a leisure pace(If it happens) unlike authoritarian or western democracies or far eastern enlightened regimes.

Look at the technological difference !


This seems to be the case in every road/flyover project in Chennai. From IT corridor to Kathiapara, i see labour intensive/primitive methods being used. I think that is one of the reasons for the enormous delays in all chennai road projects. Not sure what prevents the contractors from using these heavy machines to get things done. Simplex-somdutt which is executing the Kathipara flyover is a fairly big firm and not sure what their need is to rely on labour intensive process. May be they exhaust all their money paying off the politicians[/QUOTE]

Kolkatta based company practicing socialism in the form of labour intensive and protracted works.However i observed that in chennai the flyovers stand taller than in Hyderabad.

Ahem, maybe we should let the experts comment on the construction method adopted. An intelligent guess tells me that the same method of using precast sections cannot be adopted for a flyover with constant elevation and orientation changes. The reason: the cast would need to be different for each section, so its just cheaper to cast it in-situ.

The pvnr expressway and kathipara are a bad comparison

oyu might have a point but how about PVNR and the Chennai Bypass elevated highway ?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/images/2007111460280301.jpg

Ahem, maybe we should let the experts comment on the construction method adopted. An intelligent guess tells me that the same method of using precast sections cannot be adopted for a flyover with constant elevation and orientation changes. The reason: the cast would need to be different for each section, so its just cheaper to cast it in-situ.

The pvnr expressway and kathipara are a bad comparison

I see your point, but still not convinced why ramps with varying X-sections can only be done cast-in-situ -- if the actual practice obeys the theoretical geometry close enough, then you shuld still be able to calculate the width and the gradient at any section. No ? There are ways to overcome any
minor error corrections reqd. at the site. The whole Nehru football stadium was done pre-cast .. and there were several such tricky situations that ECC (L&T) handled.

oyu might have a point but how about PVNR and the Chennai Bypass elevated highway ?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/images/2007111460280301.jpg

I regularly pass through the site of Chennai Bypass elevated corridor at Ambattur Estate.The construction does not involve any advanced machinery.For a two lane on one side, 5-6 narrow precasted block are placed using cranes.There are narrow gaps between them and then they are sort of connected.Am not sure abt the process.would Any expert throw light on this?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/images/2007111460280301.jpg[/QUOTE]

I think that the building besides the elevated road is India land Tech park(formerly Chennai Tech park)

I regularly pass through the site of Chennai Bypass elevated corridor at Ambattur Estate.The construction does not involve any advanced machinery.For a two lane on one side, 5-6 narrow precasted block are placed using cranes.There are narrow gaps between them and then they are sort of connected.Am not sure abt the process.would Any expert throw light on this?

A simple Engineer's question. How do you know it is technologically better again? Just because you saw some machinery? Why, pre-cast blocks is not an advanced idea? Should we check a picture of the pre-cast blocks area or should we get a class in road construction 101? I think we are just not talking facts. Can someone do a facts check on these before any further dicussion?

A simple Engineer's question. How do you know it is technologically better again? Just because you saw some machinery? Why, pre-cast blocks is not an advanced idea? Should we check a picture of the pre-cast blocks area or should we get a class in road construction 101? I think we are just not talking facts. Can someone do a facts check on these before any further dicussion?

This ( article below ) is for railbridge, but I guess most of it will apply for elevate highways too. Lesser traffic disruption, lot faster to construct, easier to repair, leser environmental damage, slender columns, better safety measured for workers, better quality structure etc etc

Precast segmental construction brings significant and quantifiable benefits to owners. Case studies of completed projects demonstrate how design and construction challenges were solved through the use of this construction method. These challenges are similar to many rail structures
and these solutions can be tailored to each specific project.

In summary, these significant and quantifiable benefits include:

• Maintain existing traffic throughout construction
• Minimize amount of new right-of-way acquisition by building within owners’ existing ROW – saves money for the owner
• Minimize impacts on the environment by building within an existing corridor – no need
to create a new alignment with a new set of environmental impacts
• Accelerate project completion by minimizing time required for ROW acquisition and new environmental studies
• Reduce impacts to environmentally sensitive waters and wetlands by building from above
• Increased quality by precasting structural elements off site in factory-like conditions
• Reduce construction time by having concurrent substructure and superstructure casting
• Improve aesthetics with slender columns and closed box girder shape

http://www.arema.org/eseries/scriptcontent/custom/e_arema/library/2003_Conference_Proceedings/0022.pdf

Staff Reporter

Service roads clogged, pavements occupied by hawkers

CHENNAI: Two days after the inauguration of the Usman Road flyover, residents are finding it difficult to make their way in and out of Usman Road. The service roads are clogged with people and the pavements are occupied by hawkers.

......

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/17/stories/2008081758360400.htm

http://www.dailythanthi.com/article....17/2008&advt=2

News says that Double decker Circular freeway bridges - two are going to be built in Chennai city to reduce traffice congestion. :banana:

Lower bridge - Light Vechicle movements

Upper bridge - Heavy vechicles

--------

First Bridge - Starting from Ennore -Manali - Vayasarbadi - Vepery - park town - triplicane - light house - santhome - adyar basin - adyar - ekkattuthangal - ramapuram - porur - chennai bypass - IRR - Manali

Second bridge -

Triplicane - mylapore - kotturpuram -saidapet - t nagar - nungambak - egmore - kathipara - koyambedu + other main places
---

Apart from these, there are 5 other circular flyover going to be built in chennai.

Built by NHAI, State highways, Urban development depts.
Happy to read this news, but it should be materilised..when n how?

oyu might have a point but how about PVNR and the Chennai Bypass elevated highway ?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/images/2007111460280301.jpg

btw, elevated parts of chennai bypass is 2-3 km. this is being executed by nhai. and so is 10km long bangalore elevated tollway to electronics city. so what is your theory on nhai choosing such different methods in these two different cities?

^^ could have something to do with load bearing capacity and cost. the box girder im sure can handle more loads than precast segments which could become quite expensive and difficult to transport from the casting yard. Are heavy vehicles to be permitted on betl?

http://www.dailythanthi.com/article....17/2008&advt=2

News says that Double decker Circular freeway bridges - two are going to be built in Chennai city to reduce traffice congestion. :banana:

Lower bridge - Light Vechicle movements

Upper bridge - Heavy vechicles

--------

First Bridge - Starting from Ennore -Manali - Vayasarbadi - Vepery - park town - triplicane - light house - santhome - adyar basin - adyar - ekkattuthangal - ramapuram - porur - chennai bypass - IRR - Manali

Second bridge -

Triplicane - mylapore - kotturpuram -saidapet - t nagar - nungambak - egmore - kathipara - koyambedu + other main places
---

Apart from these, there are 5 other circular flyover going to be built in chennai.

Built by NHAI, State highways, Urban development depts.
Happy to read this news, but it should be materilised..when n how?

That is great news. BTW is this anyway connected to the proposed Chennai BRTS ?

I regularly pass through the site of Chennai Bypass elevated corridor at Ambattur Estate.The construction does not involve any advanced machinery.For a two lane on one side, 5-6 narrow precasted block are placed using cranes.There are narrow gaps between them and then they are sort of connected.Am not sure abt the process.would Any expert throw light on this?

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/275/16082008751007002nw5.jpg

The above picture was taken from Delhi Metro Thread, posted by Euromast. There seems to be some solutions for carrying out Flyover work without disturbing the existing traffic.

Guys, can anyone post the pics of the newly opened Tnagar flyover with full traffic strength?? Thanks in advance..

Guys, can anyone post the pics of the newly opened Tnagar flyover with full traffic strength?? Thanks in advance..

I got one photo on Tamil daily Dinamani on last friday edition, it shows flyover totally got messed up traffic. I missed the photo that time . Then, I was searching again on saturday, I could not find out friday edition.

Can some one go to last friday dinamani edition n find out the photo?. or let me know how to do that?..

I got one photo on Tamil daily Dinamani on last friday edition, it shows flyover totally got messed up traffic. I missed the photo that time . Then, I was searching again on saturday, I could not find out friday edition.

Can some one go to last friday dinamani edition n find out the photo?. or let me know how to do that?..

Photos Courtesy: Dinamani saturday's e-paper.

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img12-large.jpg

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img11-large.jpg

instead of standing down on Usman road, they are standing up in the flyover. However now there is no lane crossing :-)!

so what is new ? the flyover was a misplanned, misimplemented and poorly constrstructed venture. How can they ease traffic congestion by without looking at the bigger picture of traffic flow ? Unforgivable.

We need to start a pettition against the building of illplanned flyovers that are going to ruin the city for decades.

so what is new ? the flyover was a misplanned, misimplemented and poorly constrstructed venture. How can they ease traffic congestion by without looking at the bigger picture of traffic flow ? Unforgivable.

We need to start a pettition against the building of illplanned flyovers that are going to ruin the city for decades.

The flyover is a complete useless one.

All that this strech required was a few FOBs to help the pedestrians cross the road. One at Doraisamy road + Usman road juction across duraisamy road; couple of them along the south usman corridor near Ranganathan street and may be one down the road.

The flyover is a complete useless one.

All that this strech required was a few FOBs to help the pedestrians cross the road. One at Doraisamy road + Usman road juction across duraisamy road; couple of them along the south usman corridor near Ranganathan street and may be one down the road.

Cannot they make the whole stretch underneath the bridge "a no vehicle zone."!? Not even bicycles. The only exception to be made is "loading/unloading" trucks that distribute goods to the shops, and that too in the 10 pm to 6 am hrs. Permanent barricades at either end of the streets would do it.

But, if they are residents in the lanes in between -- yes it complicates the problem -- if they do not have an alt. motorable route.

Cannot they make the whole stretch underneath the bridge "a no vehicle zone."!? Not even bicycles. The only exception to be made is "loading/unloading" trucks that distribute goods to the shops, and that too in the 10 pm to 6 am hrs. Permanent barricades at either end of the streets would do it.

But, if they are residents in the lanes in between -- yes it complicates the problem -- if they do not have an alt. motorable route.

Any restriction will work in a country known to follow rules. But ours and usman road in particular is not known for civic sensible behavior

Picture depicts everything

Lot of underpass for pedestrians needs to be created(atleast 3 in usman road) for crossing with escalators otherwise very little people will use it even if FOB is created. Also we must ensure that such underpass wont be encroached by vendors

Photos Courtesy: Dinamani saturday's e-paper.

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img12-large.jpg

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img11-large.jpg

^^ Man this is complete idiocricy and heights of ignorance of the people happily jay walking with the least botheration of anything happening around them. These things cannot be taught and should not be tolerated:ohno:. I dont think it makes any sense to plan any infrastructure development in this area with this kind of a population. Instead they can close down this road for vehicular movement and use only the flyover. More importantly they should make this entire stretch as a no parking zone. Let people walk...let them find it difficult to commute here...atleast then maybe people will think twice to shop in this road. It will atleast create the culture of walking....its better for a country where people are becoming lazier by the day. I think this is the only place in the world where you can overtake a vehicle just by walking. I know its over exaggeration...Am just venting out my frustration...sorry guys.

Foot overbridge for South Usman Road
R. Srikanth

Mayor had discussions with Stalin about pedestrians’ hardships
— Photo: DIPR
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/18/images/2008081859580401.jpg
The newly constructed flyover on Usman Road.
CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation is considering constructing a foot overbridge on South Usman Road to help pedestrians.
Mayor M. Subramanian on Sunday told The Hindu that the officials were drawing up a proposal to lay a foot over-bridge to facilitate an easy pedestrian movement and to avoid traffic hurdles. Mr. Subramanian said he had discussions with Local Administration Minister M. K. Stalin about pedestrians’ hardships and the need for having such a foot over-bridge. Mr. Stalin advised the officials to take immediate action, he added.
In the backdrop of the commissioning of the flyover on Usman Road, pedestrians said crossing the road had become a challenge following the recent two-way traffic movement.
“During this weekend, there were thousands of people at the shops on Ranganathan Street. It was almost impossible to cross Usman Road,” said M. Jayashri, who went to Usman Road on Saturday.
Due to an increased vehicular movement, pedestrians said crossing Usman Road from different points such as Ranganathan Street, Natesan Street, Mahalakshmi Street and Motilal Street had become an ordeal. With the flyover starting near the entrance of Ramanathan Street, heavy vehicular traffic combined with pedestrian movement seems to have contributed to the congestion further.
It would be very helpful if more traffic police personnel are posted along this stretch to help commuters, V. Bharath, a resident said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/18/stories/2008081859580400.htm

It had been a long time dream for most of the people in this forum to make T.Nagar Usman Road and Ranaganathan Street as a prime pedestrian only shopping district. With this new flyover fiasco, it’s the right time for us to come up with plans and put forward our ideas to the planners. So lets move ahead and stop banging our head at this flyover.

I agree that the current flyover is a major flaw because it has tried to address the congestion at the junction of Doraisamy Subway the roads abutting Panagal park. It has been long suggested that the vehicular movement at the heart of the TNagar shopping district should be restricted. Now with this new flyover, it has only added to the existing problem by making the critical section of the Usman road a two way road. When there was so much of confusion in a one way road how could a two-way road solve the issue?

I do see a silver lining in the current flaw and want to suggest something constructive to overcome this issue.

Usman Road was one of the major roads that carried the traffic from Mount Road to Kodambakkam and towards Choolaimedu. This road has the potential to regain its prominence. There are only 3 traffic bottlenecks on this stretch.

Congestion 1: Junction at Usman Road, Burkit Road, and Madley Road. (TNagar Bus Depot Junction)
Congestion 2: Junction at Doraisamy Subway the roads abutting Panagal park. (Pothys Juction)
Congestion 3: Junction at North Usman Road, Mahalingapuram Road and Kodambakkam Road. (Kodambakkam Bridge Junction)


Now with a new Flyover at the junction of Kodambakkam Bridge and North Usman Road and the recently opened Flyover at the junction at Doraisamy Subway the roads abutting Panagal park we have 2 of the critical puzzles solved. The need of the hour is a new Flyover at the junction at Usman Road, Burkit Road, and Madley Road.

Instead of coming up with a short sighted new flyover and giving Chennaites another roller coaster ride similar to the Peter’s road flyovers, the current flyover at the Pothys junction should be extended all the way to the TNagar Bus Depot junction. This would be more like a 1.5 km long elevated corridor along the Usman Road Shopping district. This elevated corridor would serve as a crucial link in providing access to the vehicles traveling from Mount Road to Kodambakkam and towards Choolaimedu. A key improvement that needs to be made for making this idea a success would be make the roads broader with ample space of pedestrian walkways along the entry and exit points of this flyover (elevated corridor)
Elevated Corridor
http://i38.tinypic.com/2qi8v3t.jpg

Sections to which the elevated corridor will cater
http://i35.tinypic.com/1zcjsyf.jpg

Once we have the elevated Usman Road corridor, the section of the Usman Road from Pothys junction to TNagar Bus Depot junction would be made as a pedestrian only open shopping mall.

This entire elevated road could be funded by Corporation enacting a new law which would regularize all the multistoried building along Usman road and by also allowing new 10 storey building along this section.


The above post is only a solution for the flyover issue. I think we need to start a separate thread just to discuss about how T.Nagar could be turned into a prime time shopping district.

Feedback requested.

The volume of foot traffic, clearly shows why a huge a/c mall for people to wander around, sit, eat and shop is needed in this area pronto. Banning the street vehicles would be the first step. Next is for the traders/businessman to collude together and come up with a master plan in conjunction with the city planners and create the mall. Please, please add a huge underground parking garage and also have public transport to drop of the junta at the mall. Modern times require modern solutions.

The art of crowd control is the reason why the US is on top. Will Chennai follow suit.

Any restriction will work in a country known to follow rules. But ours and usman road in particular is not known for civic sensible behavior

I agree the problem is trying to enforce the law. So don't, make the alternative i.e the breach of the law impossible. For ex. dont just lay out a sign board saying 'Pedestrains only', raise iron pillars as barricades. We've seen how the medians have worked in the City.. Some like it, Some don't .. but often they do not have a choice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raj_network
I got one photo on Tamil daily Dinamani on last friday edition, it shows flyover totally got messed up traffic. I missed the photo that time . Then, I was searching again on saturday, I could not find out friday edition.

Can some one go to last friday dinamani edition n find out the photo?. or let me know how to do that?..


[QUOTE=Tamizhan;24159696]Photos Courtesy: Dinamani saturday's e-paper.

Thamizha, U GOT IT!. Thanks Buddy!

Thamizha na Thamizhan Than ya!:banana: Keep it up!

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img12-large.jpg


After I saw this Photo on last Friday Edition on Dinamani, I have a big Question :

Do We Really need a fly over in this street?.. on this huge people mess?..

We better not to build any fly over and BLOCK the whole Usman road from Traffice flow.

In stead of waiting in the flyover or under the fly over, going here and there, hitting all public, and shouting, fighting.. Better not allow any traffic in this road.. just take a turn to Burkit Road, and go all the places. allow only Duraisamy sub way goers!

It will reduce all lot of pain, shoppers will be happy, commuters will be happy. Better declare Traffice Free Road... Atleast this one road in Chennai City!! It makes Sense!

Instead of building a bridge, allowing crowd, jamming vechiles, turning here and there, hitting, fighting with each other!

Wat USE! NO Use NOW! NOthing Achieved!. They only Mischieved! :bash:

Project Failed! BUT There is no fail over Solution NOW!

[QUOTE=Tamizhan;24170398]Foot overbridge for South Usman Road
R. Srikanth

Mayor had discussions with Stalin about pedestrians’ hardships
— Photo: DIPR

இதுல இது வேறயா! கிழிஞ்சது கிருஷ்ணகிரி!!.....

ரூம் போட்டு யோசிப்பாய்ங்ளோ!!............இருக்கட்டும், இருக்கட்டும்!!............:banana::banana:

http://www.dinamani.com/epaper/EpaperImages/1682008/16082008-cni-mn-03_img11-large.jpg[/QUOTE]

See, all are going Vertically in this Bridge, ONE guy is Driving Horizontially in the bridge, in front of Auto Wala!:bash::)

I agree the problem is trying to enforce the law. So don't, make the alternative i.e the breach of the law impossible. For ex. dont just lay out a sign board saying 'Pedestrains only', raise iron pillars as barricades. We've seen how the medians have worked in the City.. Some like it, Some don't .. but often they do not have a choice.


It is easier to enforce law than many think. All it needs it good CCTV surveilance and heavy fine for vehicles caught on camera breaking traffic rules.. word will spread like wild fire and people will become obedient VERY fast.

for pedestrian only way..we have solutions such as these..

http://www.capitaltechnology.com.qa/Media/Products/TitanBlocker.jpg

http://www.usaid.gov/policy/par05/images/mda_0504h.jpg

The flyover is a complete useless one.

All that this strech required was a few FOBs to help the pedestrians cross the road. One at Doraisamy road + Usman road juction across duraisamy road; couple of them along the south usman corridor near Ranganathan street and may be one down the road.

Or they could have built something higher that bypasses the entire stretch, and made the road pedestrian-only. Still possible, I think, if they construct a multi-storey car park in the area.

These are the definitions of chaos... utter chaos....:lol:

it seems that this city is on a plane and the insfruments are amazing !

Instead of coming up with a short sighted new flyover and giving Chennaites another roller coaster ride similar to the Peter’s road flyovers, the current flyover at the Pothys junction should be extended all the way to the TNagar Bus Depot junction. This would be more like a 1.5 km long elevated corridor along the Usman Road Shopping district. This elevated corridor would serve as a crucial link in providing access to the vehicles traveling from Mount Road to Kodambakkam and towards Choolaimedu. A key improvement that needs to be made for making this idea a success would be make the roads broader with ample space of pedestrian walkways along the entry and exit points of this flyover (elevated corridor)
Elevated Corridor


if the road is elevated even beyond t nagar bus stand, then what about vehicles at the bus stand junction. they wouldn't be able to use this flyover. i think anyone who used this stretch earlier would tell you that doraisamy rd junction at panagal park was the major bottleneck. with this new flyover that would be considerably reduced. if the road below is a mess, blame it on commercial establishments or the people who still want to throng such locations. i think it only means there is a huge shortage of good retail space in chennai. for those who want to bypass this stretch, there is this new flyover. i think it is not bad.

t. nagar has good road network around panagal park. authorities have to be more aggressive in making these one ways and ensure better flow of traffic.

if the road is elevated even beyond t nagar bus stand, then what about vehicles at the bus stand junction. they wouldn't be able to use this flyover. i think anyone who used this stretch earlier would tell you that doraisamy rd junction at panagal park was the major bottleneck. with this new flyover that would be considerably reduced. if the road below is a mess, blame it on commercial establishments or the people who still want to throng such locations. i think it only means there is a huge shortage of good retail space in chennai. for those who want to bypass this stretch, there is this new flyover. i think it is not bad.

t. nagar has good road network around panagal park. authorities have to be more aggressive in making these one ways and ensure better flow of traffic.

i agree with dis.agree... :lol: the flyover is not so bad. but it will NOT be the panacea for all the traffic problems in the area. there will have to
be a host of other measures.

1) Make the entire stretch pedestrains only (as earlier stated in this topic). as Fusion stated this is not so tough as its made out to be.

2) To enable the above, need to build alt. exit routes for the resident lanes sandwiched in the entire stretch

3) Build FOB that ply across the flyover ... more like sky vestibules connecting interiors overhead

The key ingredient here is the motivation for the State to act swiftly....Because, what they have done here is opened a can of worms that can lead to a lot of public woes.

I have never posted here,only read stuff.But this thing about T-Nagar decongesting is possible only if all areas of Chennai become self-sufficient in terms of Retail Space.It is a simple thing really.If there are places far flung from one another,people are even going to walk and make their purchases.

This would decongest T-Nagar bigtime and also relieve Doraisamy subway.I am saying this also having lived in West Mambalam for most of my life.

1) Make the entire stretch pedestrains only (as earlier stated in this topic). as Fusion stated this is not so tough as its made out to be.



but why make it pedestrian only? right of way on this stretch was originally meant for vehicles. this has to be maintained. the issue is building violations that allows more people to come here & shop. they simply have to demolish 4-6 floors of such 10 floor buildings and make sure such buildings have parking spaces as per norms.

since the flyover was opened for traffic they have allowed 2 way traffic on parts of this stretch. this has increased # vehicles. if they revert back to how it was on Aug 13, then the traffic paterns will change. we have to let authorities watch this settle and make appropriate recommendations. i am sure every commoner in city has his views on how this should be solved. and these guys would come up with simpler solutions than the average forumer here.

I applaud the brilliant plan of the government and authorities to reduce the congestion in T.Nagar by constructing this flyover. By making Usman Road / T.Nagar even more congested than previously thought possible, they at once discourage shoppers from shopping here, provide a disincentive to the shops from setting up or expanding here and will also force a serious rethink on the people from other localities from demanding a flyover for their localities.

This is Chaos theory at work, or chaos applied :)

Slakhs

Chennai: Earthmovers demolished houses on land acquired by the Chennai Corporation for the construction of the vehicular subway at Villivakkam on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A Corporation official said the land acquisition process was done by the Revenue Department and the financial settlement for the acquired land had been completed. About 60 houses on either side of the railway tracks at Villivakkam are to be demolished.

The total cost of the vehicular subway is estimated to be Rs. 13.39 crore. The subway will be constructed by infrastructure development firm Subhash Projects and Marketing Limited.

Workers have demolished 27 buildings on the southern side of the tracks. Some of the building owners, whose houses need to be only partly demolished, have taken up the work on their own using manual labour rather than heavy equipment to prevent damage to the rest of the building.

Buildings on the northern side would be razed down in the next few days. As the owners of seven buildings have filed a case in the Madras High Court, these constructions have not been touched for now.

Link road

A.V. Surendiran, convener of the joint action committee of welfare associations of north Villivakkam and Kolathur, said residents were happy that Southern Railway and Chennai Corporation had taken up the long-pending project. He said the residents were hoping to see the subway ready by December next year. The subway would do away with the need to wait for trains to pass at the LC 2 gate crossing. As many as 300 trains pass the crossing every day. Residents have requested that a temporary link road from the Metrowater compound near Rajaji Nagar I Street up to the LC 1 crossing be laid till the project is completed. “The link road would have to pass through railway land but it could serve as just a temporary facility,” Mr. Surendiran said.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/22/stories/2008082259630400.htm

To the problems of urban sprawl and highway congestion, flyovers appear to be the standard disease that is prescribed. Most convincingly has this been highlighted by Usman Road. Not that earlier ones were seamless. Delayed responses to pressing challenges have taken a particular sequence. The pull of a capital city is irresistible. Unrestricted influx both human and vehicular follows. A surfeit of buildings beyond carrying capacity comes up. Slums and encroachments are next in line. Irregular parking becomes an inevitable feature. The clogging of arteries leads to gridlock and rigor mortis. An administration hitherto paralysed, stirs itself thereafter. A rush for a quick fix ends up in a flyover. Thrust upon a narrow road in a built up area it turns hideous. How fine if all these yield place to forward planning and timely action.

The modernization of Chennai is a challenge to anybody. Amidst the beckoning of the future is the burden of the past. The geographical location of Chennai itself poses constraints. Four national highways of which two are inter-state, converge on Chennai. To add to them are ECR and RG Salai, arterial in their own right. A port city generates heavy traffic, particularly freight. Compounding them is the lack of room for maneuverability on the eastern side. Judicious planning, strenuous effort and above all capacity for resolute action are called for, to launch Chennai on the highroad of modernity.

A holistic remedy for the problems on hand, in congested cities is needed. For emerging cities with huge developmental potential, comprehensive forward planning is demanded. The major cities of Tamil Nadu have a certain feature that is particularly salient. The defect of congestion in the core city alongside with thinly populated expanses in the outskirts. Capitalising on the merit of this defect, the peripheral space can be well planned for decongestion.

Extension of city limits would encourage lateral spread. Outward movement would result in spatial dispersal of manufacture and services. Integrated townships providing alluring office space, educational, health, marketing, recreational and entertainment facilities would draw a sizeable population towards them. To begin with Greater Chennai, would need immediate proclamation. Delay would deny the administration, flexibility in construction and plan implementation.

Flyovers are for locations like Kathipara, Padi and Koyambedu. Elevated roadways are for Ambattur, Maduravoyal and similar stretches. Built to hop across a few intersections, they have minimal value. They disfigure a city with a permanent scar.

Some welcome changes have already taken place. The Koyambedu bus terminal and the vegetable market have made their impact. Two more wholesale markets to come there will reduce congestion further. Major developments at Sriperumpudur,Oragadam, IT Corridor and Maraimalainagar have already exerted their centrifugal pulls. Their mission will continue unabated.

Excellent projects in the offing inspire optimism. They are however time consuming ones. The Circular Road will take 10 years for completion. The Metro 7 years. MRTS Extension to St Thomas Mount,3 years. In the meantime vehicles burgeon by 900 units each day. How to reduce use of cars and two wheelers? How to minimize three wheeler patronage? Luxury and semi-luxury buses can perform this miracle ,if deployed in sufficient numbers. Inadequate seating capacity will never ever work. Transferring visible road congestion to concealed passenger congestion inside the bus will yield no results.

Berlin, the capital of a nation of 82 million, has an area of 892 sq. km and a population of 3.4 million. In contrast, Chennai has an area of 176 sq. km with a population of 4.6 million for a state of 64 million. Let contrast give way to comparison. Let the sights of Chennai be on the best cities of the world.

I travelled through T.Nagar today driving over the new "Usman Road Flyover." Life wasn't this easy before. Despite the debate over its pros and cons, the flyover helped me get across the entire area in a record 3 minutes. Though the flyover is not so wide, I feel there is an improvement in the flow of traffic. But not sure how it's gonna keep up in the future.

The problems are underneath.... :)

I travelled through T.Nagar today driving over the new "Usman Road Flyover." Life wasn't this easy before. Despite the debate over its pros and cons, the flyover helped me get across the entire area in a record 3 minutes. Though the flyover is not so wide, I feel there is an improvement in the flow of traffic. But not sure how it's gonna keep up in the future.

when did u travel?.. Friday or saturday?!..I guess crossing 3 mins is difficult in weekdays..

^^You’re right probably since it was Sunday.

CHENNAI: The Traffic Police have made some modifications in the traffic arrangements in Panagal Park to come into effect on Monday.

Vehicles on the new flyover on Usman Road intending to proceed to South Usman Road would be allowed to do so. Traffic from Madley subway would be allowed to take a left into Usman Road, a right into South Usman Road and proceed straight to Burkit Road, a move that was not allowed earlier.

Burkit Road would remain one way with entry from Madley Round about and no entry from Venkatnarayana Road and Burkit Road junction. Two-way movement of vehicles would be allowed on Venkatnarayana Road. Buses hitherto plying on Muthurangan Salai would ply on South Usman Road instead.

Temporary change

Temporary traffic modifications would be made near the Maraimalai Adigalar Bridge in Saidapet to facilitate repair work by the Highways Department on the bridge, a Traffic Police release here said.

Work on the bridge would be taken up on Monday and completed on November 13. From 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, one-third of the carriageway on the bridge would be taken up for the work and the rest would be open to traffic. On alternate days, the entire bridge would be blocked from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.

At night, vehicles coming on Anna Salai from Guindy intending to proceed to Eldams Road would have to take a route via Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road, Gandhi Mandapam Road and Cenotaph Road to reach Eldams Road junction.

Vehicles from Eldams Road intending to proceed to Guindy through Anna Salai would have to take the route via Chamiers Road, Gandhi Mandapam Road and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/25/stories/2008082559270400.htm

Also read this article (it's regarding availability of parking space in T.Nagar): http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/25/stories/2008082558810300.htm

Guys

Please stop the brickbats. As per my friends the flyover is simply great and in sunday they traveled twice (From south to North Usman and Vice versa) the journey time is just 2 Mins from T Nagar busstand to N Usman/Bazullah Rd intersection by MTC BUS. Previously it used to Minimum of 20 minutes via detour.

They had also observed that lot of hawkers are using the spaces under the flyover and hence more public is thronging around them thereby disturbing the free flow of traffic

Traffic flows smooth on the flyover and issue is not because of flaw in design but because of platform vendors

Guys

Please stop the brickbats. As per my friends the flyover is simply great and in sunday they traveled twice (From south to North Usman and Vice versa) the journey time is just 2 Mins from T Nagar busstand to N Usman/Bazullah Rd intersection by MTC BUS. Previously it used to Minimum of 20 minutes via detour.

They had also observed that lot of hawkers are using the spaces under the flyover and hence more public is thronging around them thereby disturbing the free flow of traffic

Traffic flows smooth on the flyover and issue is not because of flaw in design but because of platform vendors



Read this article on New India Express: It highlights the issue with these crazy never changing Hawkers:

NOBODY, but nobody, is happy with the new Usman Road flyover.

Not the residents, not the merchants, not the shoppers, and certainly not the hawkers. As Sabhapathy, who owns a shop on Usman Road, puts it, the flyover was �expected to bring relief to all sections - merchants, traders, hawkers and customers. But look at the place now. It continues to be a complete mess."

Rangan, one of the residents in the area, says �even though the footpaths have been widened, the space is still crowded. You should see the place on weekends and public holidays. It's impossible to move."

Residents of most bylanes in the area are skeptical about the relocation of hawkers. �Even if they are given alternative sites, they will be back on the main roads in no time. Just wait and watch. That way they will have two shops, one legal and another illegal.

Mark my words, they will make more money out of the illegal one,"quips a resident, who does not want to be named. There are quite a few petitions pending before the court on the hawker issue.

The worst affected are the re sidents of Pinjala Subramanium Street, as 104 hawkers from Usman Road where suddenly shifted to that road. They have since moved the court. Hawkers there are yet to make their shops fully functional because of the court�s strictures.

Meanwhile the Corporation has allotted sites for 106 hawkers (previously on Usman Road) at the nine-feet Conservancy Lane between Ranganathan Street and Natesan Street.

Relocation need not be a bitter experience, if hawkers take a leaf out of the nearby Sathya Bazaar�s book. The bazaar houses hawkers relocated from Ranganathan Street. For a few months after relocation, hawkers there struggled to draw customers. Now business has picked up and the bazaar is throbbing with activity.

P Sivaraman, secretary of Makkal Pothunila Chirukadai Vyaparikal Sangham, is confident of starting his business all over again at the relocated site.

�Our Sathya Bazaar colleagues may have taken longer to get business, but we are confident the sales will go up in the coming days."It is an optimism many don�t share at the moment.

Has the shifting of hawkers benefited the merchants in the area?"Public have started moving much more freely now. But how long will it last? Won�t the hawkers use the first available opportunity to get back to the road? I am keeping my fingers crossed,� says Samsu Gani, who owns a shop at Ranganathan Street.

Read this article on New India Express: It highlights the issue with these crazy never changing Hawkers:

NOBODY, but nobody, is happy with the new Usman Road flyover.

Not the residents, not the merchants, not the shoppers, and certainly not the hawkers. As Sabhapathy, who owns a shop on Usman Road, puts it, the flyover was �expected to bring relief to all sections - merchants, traders, hawkers and customers. But look at the place now. It continues to be a complete mess."

Rangan, one of the residents in the area, says �even though the footpaths have been widened, the space is still crowded. You should see the place on weekends and public holidays. It's impossible to move."

Residents of most bylanes in the area are skeptical about the relocation of hawkers. �Even if they are given alternative sites, they will be back on the main roads in no time. Just wait and watch. That way they will have two shops, one legal and another illegal.

Mark my words, they will make more money out of the illegal one,"quips a resident, who does not want to be named. There are quite a few petitions pending before the court on the hawker issue.

The worst affected are the re sidents of Pinjala Subramanium Street, as 104 hawkers from Usman Road where suddenly shifted to that road. They have since moved the court. Hawkers there are yet to make their shops fully functional because of the court�s strictures.

Meanwhile the Corporation has allotted sites for 106 hawkers (previously on Usman Road) at the nine-feet Conservancy Lane between Ranganathan Street and Natesan Street.

Relocation need not be a bitter experience, if hawkers take a leaf out of the nearby Sathya Bazaar�s book. The bazaar houses hawkers relocated from Ranganathan Street. For a few months after relocation, hawkers there struggled to draw customers. Now business has picked up and the bazaar is throbbing with activity.

P Sivaraman, secretary of Makkal Pothunila Chirukadai Vyaparikal Sangham, is confident of starting his business all over again at the relocated site.

�Our Sathya Bazaar colleagues may have taken longer to get business, but we are confident the sales will go up in the coming days."It is an optimism many don�t share at the moment.

Has the shifting of hawkers benefited the merchants in the area?"Public have started moving much more freely now. But how long will it last? Won�t the hawkers use the first available opportunity to get back to the road? I am keeping my fingers crossed,� says Samsu Gani, who owns a shop at Ranganathan Street.

how can flyover reduce the number people who throng these shops below? perhaps all these people expected this flyover to be used as parking lots for vehicles, hawkers on it & walkways for pedestrians and relieve the congestion below.

The police should start enforcing the laws rather than collect mamool. Justice(?) Mohan committee is a means to push blatant violations under the carpet until people forget about the issue. All buildings w/o parking should be sealed immediately and demolished as a solution to T Nagars problem. It also reflects on people's culture that they eagerly throng this filthy place. I am praying for the day when T Nagar meets the fate of Parry's Corner!

Not sure if this really belongs here... but here is the link in question:

http://nhai.org/Doc/23Aug08/NIT.pdf

^^Am posting this in the "Chennai Elevated ExpressWay - Port to Madhuravoyal -NHAI implementation" thread :)

how can flyover reduce the number people who throng these shops below? perhaps all these people expected this flyover to be used as parking lots for vehicles, hawkers on it & walkways for pedestrians and relieve the congestion below.

^^ :lol:

Maybe they expected that Kumaran silks to display their linens & garments on the Flyover's parapet so the shoppers would do drive-thru shopping and the cars would have a pre-paid sticker to charge on.

Just my cynical 2 cents ... as long as we are joking.

Instead of a narrow flyover,they should have built a tunnel with more lanes atleast at this important section of the city ignoring the costs.This would have saved space which could have been used for the extension of the walkways outside the shops.Reduce the number of lanes at the existing road to convert it into walkways and leave 2 lane road for pick up and drop.Restrict parking at all times and built a multistorey carpark somewhere around the place with funds from the merchants. HOPE THAT THEY USE THE TUNNEL IDEA IF THEY INTEND TO BUILT A METRO IN THE FUTURE THERE!

i used the flyover this morning around 10 a.m. during the morning peak hour, and i found it had really eased congestion - for people like me who wanted to cross Panagal park at any rate...

i don't know how it is below for people actually planning to shop on Usman road, but the flyover's a great way to get past that stretch...

and since i don't live in T Nagar, nor do i ever plan to shop at usman road, i give this flyover a big thumbs up!!

:)

^^I wish the flyover be made one-way to smoothen the traffic further.

i used the flyover this morning around 10 a.m. during the morning peak hour, and i found it had really eased congestion - for people like me who wanted to cross Panagal park at any rate...

i don't know how it is below for people actually planning to shop on Usman road, but the flyover's a great way to get past that stretch...

and since i don't live in T Nagar, nor do i ever plan to shop at usman road, i give this flyover a big thumbs up!!

:)

Thanks for seconding my Views.. Atlast I got a support from you to tell that this flyover is NOT ALL THAT BAD thats being quoted in press. First I did benifitted by the mahalingapuram flyover which did reduced the time to cross kodambakkam bridge and now this had come in as handy as long as you use the flyover and zip past the T Nagar/ Usman road

Hi Guys,
I have come-up with a solution for all the issues cropping up due to the new Usman Rd Flyover. Please give your thoughts on the new design. This flyover can help achieve our goal of turning the T.Nagar Shopping area as the world's biggest shopping Mall. You don't have to relocate Hawkers or demolish Buildings. Govt should regularize the existing building and freeze any other future deviations and make the shop owners bear part of the cost for this new flyover. They should try to use pre-casting method during construction to speed-up the process. The Pedestrian Only zone must be strictly enforced and transport vehicles must be allowed only bet 12 mid-night to 6 am. Also the pedestrian only zone must be relaid with tiles similar to the one used on Marina Beach footpath. Hope this proposal reaches the concerned authorities ASAP.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5603/panangalparkflyoverka9.png

Hi Guys,
http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5603/panangalparkflyoverka9.png
there is lot of criss-crossing. this traffic flow is exactly what we currently have around panagal park - only that it is at ground level. so, you are suggesting a 2 tier road here. by building such elevated roads all over the city on all roads, we obviously can make commuting faster. but that is expensive proposition. say you have 50 - 100 crore per annum (possibly a reasonable amount from corporation budget) to build such flyovers, how do you efficiently use this money? do you build flyovers here or madya kailash, thirvumiyur, anna nagar, vadapalani, perambur ....

Hi Guys,
I have come-up with a solution for all the issues cropping up due to the new Usman Rd Flyover. Please give your thoughts on the new design. This flyover can help achieve our goal of turning the T.Nagar Shopping area as the world's biggest shopping Mall. You don't have to relocate Hawkers or demolish Buildings. Govt should regularize the existing building and freeze any other future deviations and make the shop owners bear part of the cost for this new flyover. They should try to use pre-casting method during construction to speed-up the process. The Pedestrian Only zone must be strictly enforced and transport vehicles must be allowed only bet 12 mid-night to 6 am. Also the pedestrian only zone must be relaid with tiles similar to the one used on Marina Beach footpath. Hope this proposal reaches the concerned authorities ASAP.



^^

I like it. We need such circular/rectangular go-around flyovers in several places in Chennai. One other place, the Mylapore tank .. that place is doomed beyond any redemption. Again, the whole place must be pedestrain only with restricted resident only parking.

What happened to doraiswmay road in the above diagram?

there is lot of criss-crossing. this traffic flow is exactly what we currently have around panagal park - only that it is at ground level. so, you are suggesting a 2 tier road here. by building such elevated roads all over the city on all roads, we obviously can make commuting faster. but that is expensive proposition. say you have 50 - 100 crore per annum (possibly a reasonable amount from corporation budget) to build such flyovers, how do you efficiently use this money? do you build flyovers here or madya kailash, thirvumiyur, anna nagar, vadapalani, perambur ....


I have read your posts and you always seem to dis-agree suiting your name well. I suggested a circular flyover for free flow of traffic. Imagine that road for vehicles without the presence of pedestrians or shops. This will help all stakeholders.

1. Hawkers
2. Residents screaming about using the streets for parking
3. Shops who have violated norms and want a amicable solution
4. Vehicles wanting to cross the junction.
5. People who want to shop without the fear of vehicles.

Plus we can pride ourselves with having the biggest shopping mall in the world. So please stop criticizing and come-up with possible solutions.

This one might work... Right now, the problem is that vehicles and pedestrians jostle for space on the same roads around Panagal Park. By separating them, traffic can be smoothed. Add some multi-storey parking lots around the area, so that the number of vehicles entering Panagal Park is reduced.

One candidate for a parking lot is above the T.Nagar B.S. Another one, which is my dream btw, is to dig up Sir Theyagaraya Road (Pondy Bazaar Road), build two-level parking underground, with a third level beneath for a future metro line, and the ground level can be paved over with pedestrian access only. Entrances to this lot can be on all approach roads. On the ground level, dedicate two centre lanes for a bus/tram service so people can move within this area. This centre lane idea can be extended to Usman Road too, but this new flyover should be extended beyond T.Nagar B.S. to facilitate smooth flow of traffic which wants to go through T.Nagar to areas beyond.

All of this requires a massive amount of money, but it will be money well spent. Some surcharge may be collected from those huge stores in this area which did not provide an iota of parking space and are mostly responsible for the chaos today. This way it is a win-win situation, for shoppers, hawkers and commuters alike.

What happened to doraiswmay road in the above diagram?


Good catch! I missed that.
The subway can be made a one way with just an entry to the flyover.
Or make it two-way and restrict right turn to the subway from North Usman Road.
Vehicles intending to go to West mambalam or kodambakkam can also use the Madley Road subway.


http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7008/panangalparkflyover2th7.png

Here are some suggestion for the parking problem:

1) Panagal park underground could be parking lot. I.e. dig up the park and place the lot underground, extending under the existing road too. Cover it up and replant the trees/vegetation above. This would be similar to New Delhi's Pallika Bazaar for those who know the area.

2) All commercial establishments on any of these roads must be re-zoned. Existing buildings need to come down and an underground parking provision for all buildings a must. Otherwise no permits will be issued. This would be the best, since the destination becomes a sink for vehicle traffic.

On traffic and flyovers. The major problem is that there is no expressway to take traffic from Mount Road/T.Nagar area to the Ashok Nagar/KK Nagar area. This is the major reason for pile up at Panagal Park/Usman Rd/Doraisway Rd. Traffic tries to take all kinds of short cuts and as a result we end up with traffic in small roads and alleyways. A new alignment is needed to fly over all the existing buildings I presume right from Mount Rd to Ashok Nagar, with appropriate exits.

Good catch! I missed that.
The subway can be made a one way with just an entry to the flyover.
Or make it two-way and restrict right turn to the subway from North Usman Road.
Vehicles intending to go to West mambalam or kodambakkam can also use the Madley Road subway.


http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7008/panangalparkflyover2th7.png

How you reach the flyover from doraisamy bridge... You want to build another Flyover there ???????????????????

Its impossible design...

It was exactly the same traffic flow before the flyover was built and whats the advantage in giving it at a height.. The more the space below the flyover the more will be hawkers menace.

@ chennai34 : while it's great that you're putting forward actual solutions that you've come up with rather than blindly criticising projects, I've seen that all your flyover designs seem to come with 90 degree turns which make them all pretty unfeasible to use...

@ chennai34 : while it's great that you're putting forward actual solutions that you've come up with rather than blindly criticising projects, I've seen that all your flyover designs seem to come with 90 degree turns which make them all pretty unfeasible to use...

Please dont take the design literally. During actual implementation the turning will be made smooth and not at 90 degrees as depicted in the picture.

How you reach the flyover from doraisamy bridge... You want to build another Flyover there ???????????????????

Its impossible design...

It was exactly the same traffic flow before the flyover was built and whats the advantage in giving it at a height.. The more the space below the flyover the more will be hawkers menace.

You don't need another flyover there. All you need is a 45 degree road right from the lowest portion of the subway that would connect the main flyover.
Its impossible in India to avoid Hawkers in any form or encroachments. Everyone right from the govt to the people visiting the shops have violated in one form or the other.At least in a flyover you can avoid pedestrians and Hawkers. I think you must be still in the 90's. With technological advances, nothing is impossible with the current architects.

I strongly believe the mini flyovers coming up in Chennai will go a long way in solving congestion at crossroads. For example at South Usman road, this could have been the only solution.

Having said that , we need many more of this in the future.

You don't need another flyover there. All you need is a 45 degree road right from the lowest portion of the subway that would connect the main flyover.
Its impossible in India to avoid Hawkers in any form or encroachments. Everyone right from the govt to the people visiting the shops have violated in one form or the other.At least in a flyover you can avoid pedestrians and Hawkers. I think you must be still in the 90's. With technological advances, nothing is impossible with the current architects.


I understand your plan of seperating the pedestrians from the vehicles. That will definitely improve the place beyond recognition.

I have been living in the area all my life and I have a few questions based on experience in the region:
1. In your plan, there is no entrance to this region from Pondy Bazaar. Should that entrance be blocked? There is a huge movement of people from mount road (beyond Gemini flyover), Mylapore, Teynampet, Royapettah etc to places on the other side of railway line namely West mabalam, Ashok nagar, K.K. Nagar and Beyond. Almost all MTC buses entering Doraiswamy subway come from Pondy Bazaar. Now, all these people have to use either G.N. chetty road or Venkatanarayana road, both of which are already congested. Similarly, the crowd shopping in Pondy Bazaar which is also an equally big shopping place, will have to use these 2 roads and then make use of the side roads in between.

2. If the entire ground level area around panagal park is reserved for pedestrians, then how are the trucks delivering goods going to come in during night times? Will there be space to enter the area from any of these roads?

3. What would be plan for the shoppers entering the area? We used to travel from duraiswamy subway, enter any of the side streets and find a parking space to go to one of these shops. But if the new flyover starts right from the subway, I will have no choice but to go to any of the other roads like North usman road, G.N. chetty road etc. There should be appropriate entrances/exits to flyovers for people taking out their vehicles after shopping in that area.

4. There is a huge movement of traffic from G.N. Chetty road, pondy bazaar and Venkata narayana road into Duraiswamy subway. Now as per the design, there is an intersection in front of Pothys. We will need a signal on the flyover to regulate traffic on usman road and the ones entering duraiswamy road. Can this be avoided.

I understand your plan of seperating the pedestrians from the vehicles. That will definitely improve the place beyond recognition.

I have been living in the area all my life and I have a few questions based on experience in the region:
1. In your plan, there is no entrance to this region from Pondy Bazaar. Should that entrance be blocked? There is a huge movement of people from mount road (beyond Gemini flyover), Mylapore, Teynampet, Royapettah etc to places on the other side of railway line namely West mabalam, Ashok nagar, K.K. Nagar and Beyond. Almost all MTC buses entering Doraiswamy subway come from Pondy Bazaar. Now, all these people have to use either G.N. chetty road or Venkatanarayana road, both of which are already congested. Similarly, the crowd shopping in Pondy Bazaar which is also an equally big shopping place, will have to use these 2 roads and then make use of the side roads in between.

2. If the entire ground level area around panagal park is reserved for pedestrians, then how are the trucks delivering goods going to come in during night times? Will there be space to enter the area from any of these roads?

3. What would be plan for the shoppers entering the area? We used to travel from duraiswamy subway, enter any of the side streets and find a parking space to go to one of these shops. But if the new flyover starts right from the subway, I will have no choice but to go to any of the other roads like North usman road, G.N. chetty road etc. There should be appropriate entrances/exits to flyovers for people taking out their vehicles after shopping in that area.

4. There is a huge movement of traffic from G.N. Chetty road, pondy bazaar and Venkata narayana road into Duraiswamy subway. Now as per the design, there is an intersection in front of Pothys. We will need a signal on the flyover to regulate traffic on usman road and the ones entering duraiswamy road. Can this be avoided.


Give me a break guys. Everyone is taking the design literally as if this is the finalized design. I am just presenting a big picture, that a circular flyover should be constructed for vehicles to pass thru the current shoppers mess.
All vehicles that come to these shops must be stopped before the different entrances to the flyover. Necessary parking should be made available before each of these entrances.
Don't you know that with the existing flyover there is enough space for goods vehicles to sneak at night times. IF that is the case after this circular flyover too there will be enough space.

The answer to your first question is Yes. It has to be blocked to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Also you don't need a signal infront of pothys as no traffic will be allowed to enter from that junction on to Doraiswamy Subway. Entry is only for vehicles from south Usman Rd which will have a free left.

You don't need another flyover there. All you need is a 45 degree road right from the lowest portion of the subway that would connect the main flyover.
Its impossible in India to avoid Hawkers in any form or encroachments. Everyone right from the govt to the people visiting the shops have violated in one form or the other.At least in a flyover you can avoid pedestrians and Hawkers. I think you must be still in the 90's. With technological advances, nothing is impossible with the current architects.

Well.. I am not criticizing but at the same time Just telling my views...Remember I had opined that flyover is great and there is no problems in it and only under it where hawkers encroach most of the space.

With regards to your design

Usman road Flyover is at 10 Metre height. You are coming from mambalam via Doraisamy bridge. How do you get in to the Bridge. You want 2 ramps.. I mean one to take you to the flyover towards N Usman/Park Roundana and another one from Flyover(S Usman Side) to touch grade..Is it so ??

This thread has gone to the dogs!!!!:ohno: Lets just post news about flyovers under construction in Chennai and keep other suggestions to the chennai discussion group.

This thread has gone to the dogs!!!!:ohno: Lets just post news about flyovers under construction in Chennai and keep other suggestions to the chennai discussion group.

Yes... its no more interesting as everyone here is discussing proposed projects,,...

It's better to have themin discussions thread.... since realization rate in India is very low...

Can any one update the present status of Kathipara as on today?.. Photo would be good..

^^ You can watch construction activity live on http://chennailive.in/ , click on "kathipara" under Chennai Live traffic. The camera is supposed to be facing east, near the place where the airport-Anna Salai arm of the cloverleaf is touching the ground.

^^Thanks Gandharva. Great!! :)

Feature in today's toi chennai:

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOICH/2008/08/30/2/Img/Pc0020500.jpg

Fire tenders could not get to the store quickly due to the flyover. So much so for the great design. But the problem in TNagar is because of encroachers like Saravana stores who built their shops without mataining any safety regulatios or anything. Now they are bearing the fruit of their own doing

http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=96543500-b0d3-40a4-b70d-781ff349a9db&CATEGORYNAME=CHN

kathipara flyover

courtesy:iqbal

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/9897/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg/1/w800.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img390/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg/1/)

^^ I don't understand what the structure is in the middle of the pic?? Is it some kind of subway below the kathipara flyover?

^^ I don't understand what the structure is in the middle of the pic?? Is it some kind of subway below the kathipara flyover?

neither do i. but it looks like a serious concrete structure. provisioning for metro line? it is supposed to be elevated along IRR but at kathipara junction, i guess it cannot be elevated.

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/9897/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg/1/w800.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img390/279243214556758014edoar5.jpg/1/)

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4802/27012706xs0nn1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It is not there in render..

^^Guess it'd be even clearer if we have photos from the other angle.

http://i38.tinypic.com/10frups.jpg

^^The above image is as we view it from the airport side, right?

iqbal photo taken from Porur to Guindy to Road, But I couldnt see any concrete blocks in the middle of the road in the renders - horizontally..no idea??!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/10-km_elevated_highway_to_come_up_along_coast/articleshow/3438480.cms

CHENNAI: With Chennai’s population set to touch the 10 million mark soon, the TN government has come out with an ambitious blueprint for projects worth Rs 32,700 crore to transform the city into a world-class metropolis.

An elevated highway between Light House and Kottivakkam on the scenic East Coast Road finds prominence among the projects, which include a Rs 300-crore elevated corridor from Vadapalani to Porur along Arcot Road and several rail over/under-bridges.

A state-level committee, headed by the former chief secretary, LK Tripathy, submitted its report to chief minister M Karunanidhi on Friday.

Official sources said the 10-km long elevated highway would be built by the highways department in two phases — Light House to Adyar Estuary (4 km) in the first phase and from the Estuary to Kottivakkam in the second.
The highway will run parallel to the coast and will have entry and exit points at Light House, Foreshore Estate, Elliots Beach and Kottivakkam. “Users along the stretch from Saidapet on Anna Salai to Light House will be the major beneficiaries,” an official said.

^^The above image is as we view it from the airport side, right?

I read that they are going to build some pedestrian subways in Kathiapara to facilitate movement of pedestrians. I think the new concrete slabs may be to support this move

I read that they are going to build some pedestrian subways in Kathiapara to facilitate movement of pedestrians. I think the new concrete slabs may be to support this move

Subway should come under the Road, But this concrete block is blocking horizontally on Porur - Guindy road itself!:ohno:

^^ um not really. the porur guindy road itself is a little above ground level, you should visit the site and see for yourself.
I had asked the same question a couple of months back, must be a pedestrain subway.

No point speculating now.We would know what the structure is once the project is complete.

Subway should come under the Road, But this concrete block is blocking horizontally on Porur - Guindy road itself!:ohno:

Instead of subway I would recommend Food Over Bridge(FOB) . The reason is in chennai most of the subway are open between 6 AM to 10 PM. If the subway is opened for 24 hours,that would become place for all kind illegal activities (drugs,etc). People use Kathipara junction to board/dismount the bus for long distance journey. And if the subway is not opened during night time then it would be difficult for the people to use it. Here another question is how they will build FOB since already flyover is there. So even if the subway build it will serve only half the purpose and complete.

Instead of subway I would recommend Food Over Bridge(FOB) . The reason is in chennai most of the subway are open between 6 AM to 10 PM. If the subway is opened for 24 hours,that would become place for all kind illegal activities (drugs,etc). People use Kathipara junction to board/dismount the bus for long distance journey. And if the subway is not opened during night time then it would be difficult for the people to use it. Here another question is how they will build FOB since already flyover is there. So even if the subway build it will serve only half the purpose and complete.

Is that intentional? Else this is for you...."theeni pandaram" :lol:

^^ I don't understand what the structure is in the middle of the pic?? Is it some kind of subway below the kathipara flyover?

i remember reading somewhere that there would be a subway for cyclists to avoid having to go over the flyover... maybe that's what this is?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/10-km_elevated_highway_to_come_up_along_coast/articleshow/3438480.cms

CHENNAI: With Chennai’s population set to touch the 10 million mark soon, the TN government has come out with an ambitious blueprint for projects worth Rs 32,700 crore to transform the city into a world-class metropolis.

An elevated highway between Light House and Kottivakkam on the scenic East Coast Road finds prominence among the projects, which include a Rs 300-crore elevated corridor from Vadapalani to Porur along Arcot Road and several rail over/under-bridges.

A state-level committee, headed by the former chief secretary, LK Tripathy, submitted its report to chief minister M Karunanidhi on Friday.

Official sources said the 10-km long elevated highway would be built by the highways department in two phases — Light House to Adyar Estuary (4 km) in the first phase and from the Estuary to Kottivakkam in the second.
The highway will run parallel to the coast and will have entry and exit points at Light House, Foreshore Estate, Elliots Beach and Kottivakkam. “Users along the stretch from Saidapet on Anna Salai to Light House will be the major beneficiaries,” an official said.


Really,TN govt is interested in these type or projects,or simply one more announcement,which is going to be in paper?

Poonamali highway widening work is still going on...,This work is very small compared to the above plan.But still they could not do it and even it doesnt involve any bridge construction.

Is that intentional? Else this is for you...."theeni pandaram" :lol:

ha ha haa!! just noted.. it is typo error.

I feel the Chamiers Road-Turnbull Rd Mini flyover may serve a larger purpose if the Northern arm is extended upto Anna Salai landing around DAV school. As the Corporation may take up the work soon, it would be nice to sound the authorities concerned. Planners! any take on this suggestion!

^^ is this flyover going to be 1 way or 2 way?

It should be two way. Bulk of traffic on Cenatop road leads to Kotturpuram or to Anna Salai

^^ lol yeah - that's natural, because Cenotaph Road connects the Kotturpuram road to Anna Salai!!

I asked if it will be 2-way because it's going to be really narrow again, like the rest of the mini-flyovers...

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7313/dsc001450893312vs1.jpg

At last a perfect picture of kathipara flyover..thanks "Into Salem".I hope that opening of the main part of the whole fiyover have eased congestion to a large extend.

Really a marvelous picture, Thanks a lot to Into_salem, try to post like these type of pictures..

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7313/dsc001450893312vs1.jpg

You can see 2 under pass like structures on either side of the bridge.

You can see 2 under pass like structures on either side of the bridge.

Yes, they look like underpasses for pedestrians and cyclists. Hope it is true. IF so, it is a very good and rare display of thoughtfulness by our planners.

for cyclists/bullock carts/autos maybe. letting them ride on the loops could be catastrophic in case an accident were to occur.

But the cool thing is that kathipara is now a 3 level interchange of sorts

^^Thanks Into_Salem for the update!! Btw, does anyone have similar photo on the Madhuravoil cloverleaf-type interchange? What's the status there?

Great picture, thanks into_salem! Do we have 4 full lanes each way or is it 3.

What is the status of the flyover at the Chennai airport.

^^The main arm (connecting IRR-GST Road) is a six-laned one (3+3; but there are no shoulders). I guess all the other arms, which are under construction, are 2-laned ones.

//Into_salem
Son.of.Salem//

The image is awesome from Birdseye view. why don't you put watermark on that picture so that even if someone use it , you will get a credit. By the way I am planning to use this image by giving credit to you. Please let me know if you have any concern.

Great picture........Good job Into_Salem.

BTW, I don't think the 2 under pass like structures on either side of the bridge are for pedestrians.......It looks to me like underpasses for smaller vehicles to and from Alandur.

.....I hope that opening of the main part of the whole fiyover have eased congestion to a large extend.

This pictures was taken on a Sunday.........so don't read much into the traffic seen on the main flyover.........:)

Good Job into_salem! :applause::cheer:

Question now is : When this story will get "THE END"?

//Into_salem
Son.of.Salem//

The image is awesome from Birdseye view. why don't you put watermark on that picture so that even if someone use it , you will get a credit. By the way I am planning to use this image by giving credit to you. Please let me know if you have any concern.

Its yours, Go ahead...

Good Job into_salem! :applause::cheer:

Question now is : When this story will get "THE END"?


^^Soon... But not October as promised before! :)

^^Soon... But not October as promised before! :)

ur talking like Baalu.. "Soon!"... when this soon will come?!! GOK - god only knows..:lol:

^^ Should be done by this month end. Since tar laying has begun on the loops.

^^But the loops themselves are still incomplete, especially at the Le Royal Meridian side.

Dear Into-salem

Excellent shot of Kathipara. From the picture we can expect the flyover to be in-augurated in the OCT month. It looks the pending works are laying road and connecting the loops with the ground level.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can any one tell where the metro lines (both Ponamallae and Mount road) are supposed to cross this Kathipara?

Is it possible to build a bus terminus near Kathipara flyover?

Dear Into-salem

Excellent shot of Kathipara. From the picture we can expect the flyover to be in-augurated in the OCT month. It looks the pending works are laying road and connecting the loops with the ground level.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can any one tell where the metro lines (both Ponamallae and Mount road) are supposed to cross this Kathipara?

Is it possible to build a bus terminus near Kathipara flyover?


Hopefully it is completed before monsoon arrives at full force. Else, the opening will be declared as a "Pongal Gift" rather than it being a "Deepavali gift".

Hopefully it is completed before monsoon arrives at full force. Else, the opening will be declared as a "Pongal Gift" rather than it being a "Deepavali gift".

It would take atleast another 3-4 months to complete.

Dear Into-salem

Excellent shot of Kathipara. From the picture we can expect the flyover to be in-augurated in the OCT month. It looks the pending works are laying road and connecting the loops with the ground level.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can any one tell where the metro lines (both Ponamallae and Mount road) are supposed to cross this Kathipara?

Is it possible to build a bus terminus near Kathipara flyover?

That seems like a very good idea since there is so much of space in those loops. the guindy estate bus terminus could be shifted there

MTC bus depots are eyesores just like the buses. They should landscape the loops with flower beds etc.

That seems like a very good idea since there is so much of space in those loops. the guindy estate bus terminus could be shifted there

Although bus terminus is a good idea, buses entering and exiting would add to the congestion only.

Having a police control room here will be useful for the public.

or as suggested above can have gardens and dancing fountains with light arrangements as this would boost the city's image among new visitors atleast until they see other places :).

Does anybody know how the airport flyover and this work together? is it something like an expressway or jus an nonstop main road where there is side roads all along from the airport?

Is there any update on koyambedu,padi grade separator and also on maduravoyal grade separator
:ohno:

hi everyone
I have started a separate thread for 'grade separators in india' in world forums.Hope u post major bridge constructions in this thread.click here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=706298)to post .

^^

Natarajan,

ur sent blog says Kathipara will be opened on Nov. Is that confirmed news?!

http://awakesociety.blogspot.com/2008/09/kathipara-flyover-by-november.html

In times of india i saw that the completion date for kathipara as september but as i have passed through kathipara junction i predict it would be opened for traffic from november.

^^

Natarajan,

ur sent blog says Kathipara will be opened on Nov. Is that confirmed news?!

http://awakesociety.blogspot.com/2008/09/kathipara-flyover-by-november.html

that's a blog!! I have been following the progress for a few months now and I am sure the flyover will be opened definitely by mid October if not Sept end.

^^Then it'd be a "Diwali Gift". VijayVmail can rest assured. :)

"Man dies during morning walk at Kathipara"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Man_dies_during_morning_walk_at_Kathipara_/articleshow/3456939.cms

This is ridiculous -- people being allowed to walk the kathipara bridge by foot!!

duplicate post -- sorry

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/Web/Photographs/2008/09/13/006/13_09_2008_006_007_001.jpg

Land acquisition and shifting of service facilities delayed the project
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7052/20080913601403016702276vx0.jpg
Photo: S.S.Kumar

Work on the flyover near the Chennai airport is nearing completion. —

CHENNAI: The 1.6-km flyover under construction near the airport will be ready for use by mid-October.

A total of 26 spans hold the bridge on which construction began in April 2005 at a cost of Rs.98 crore.

Various factors delayed the flyover work, the NHAI authorities said. Initially, land acquisition problem held up the work. Shifting of service utilities took more time than anticipated. Officials of the Airports Authority of India said due to the inordinate delay in the completion of the flyover work, they had to face a lot of problems. At the exit point of the airport, there was no warning or signboard. The condition of road at the exit point was very bad. The situation worsens during rain, they complained.

Some employees of AAI who were using the gate near the BCAS office to reach the AAI administrative office said with the closure of the median gate, they had to drive up to the airport and take a U turn to reach office. NHAI Project Director P. Srinivas said space had been provided for vehicles heading towards the airport. Those who were heading for the airport could use the stretch. Once the works were over, the facility would ease the congestion.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/13/stories/2008091360140300.htm

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7128/dsc001568445221ky8.jpg

We know the status of Kathipara, Padi, and airport flyovers... We haven't heard anything about the grade separator at Koyambedu, Madhuravoyal for a while now... Ppl who commute/live near these, any updates, please??

http://www.dinamalar.com/Arasiyalnewsdetail.asp?News_id=3683&cls=row4&ncat=TN

news adding that extension bridge adjacent to present adyar thiru.ve.ka bridge, Aminjikkarai 2 way bridge going to demolish, and converting into 6 lane bridge.. work start in 10 days.

side walls on Nilgiri 52kms road will construct.

All Chennai city big projects only due to Chennai Metro final planning including port to madhuravayal 19kms elevated expressway.

i hope once chennai metro will start the work, we can expect bunch of bridge construction in greater chennai areas!

Land acquisition and shifting of service facilities delayed the project
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7052/20080913601403016702276vx0.jpg
Photo: S.S.Kumar

Work on the flyover near the Chennai airport is nearing completion. —

CHENNAI: The 1.6-km flyover under construction near the airport will be ready for use by mid-October.

A total of 26 spans hold the bridge on which construction began in April 2005 at a cost of Rs.98 crore.

Various factors delayed the flyover work, the NHAI authorities said. Initially, land acquisition problem held up the work. Shifting of service utilities took more time than anticipated. Officials of the Airports Authority of India said due to the inordinate delay in the completion of the flyover work, they had to face a lot of problems. At the exit point of the airport, there was no warning or signboard. The condition of road at the exit point was very bad. The situation worsens during rain, they complained.

Some employees of AAI who were using the gate near the BCAS office to reach the AAI administrative office said with the closure of the median gate, they had to drive up to the airport and take a U turn to reach office. NHAI Project Director P. Srinivas said space had been provided for vehicles heading towards the airport. Those who were heading for the airport could use the stretch. Once the works were over, the facility would ease the congestion.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/13/stories/2008091360140300.htm

It is a 2 lane flyover or 3 lane flyover?

3 lane one way, could be four, not sure

3 lane one way, could be four, not sure

Atleast 3 lane means it is great.
It looks like 2 lane flyover in the picture.

Providing Lighting Arrangements With Street Lighting Poles For Airport Flyover On Nh-45, Chennai”.
NIT, Bid Document Vol II, Bid Document Vol I, BOQ

http://www.nhai.org/procurement_current.asp

Kathipara lighting tender updated already.

Kathipara Flyover to be opened in November..

T.R.Baalu announces in Kalaingnar TV to-day.

airport flyover by oct 3rd week
kathipara to be opened by 1st or 2 nd week of november
sources:dinamalar 14th page
opening dates for Central gov projects has to be finalised by TN cm :bash:

Presence of about 100 dwelling units beneath hampers work

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/27/images/2008092759040301.jpg
APACE: Men working on the Maraimalai Adigalar Bridge in Saidapet on Friday.

CHENNAI: Every day around 80,000 vehicles ply over the 40-year-old Maraimalai Adigalar Bridge in Saidapet. In an effort to strengthen the bridge, the Highways Works Department Chennai City Roads Division is replacing worn-out rubber bearings and expansion joints in its 12 spans.

A Highways Department official said the superstructure of the bridge was being lifted by about 20 mm using a jack, and the old 20-mm rubber bearings are being replaced with specially designed 39 mm bearings. A total of 28 rubber bearings are placed in each span. The bearings have been designed for a load of one lakh passenger car units or 80,000 vehicles.

However, progress of the work is being hampered by the presence of about 100 dwelling units that have been constructed beneath the bridge. The residents have to be evicted before the work can be done on the six spans, the space beneath which they have occupied. They are expected to be evicted by Sunday. Residents are demanding that they be provided alternative accommodation.

Though initially it was proposed to work after closing traffic on the bridge at nights, the department decided to go ahead and work during the day. Traffic slows down when the jack is kept in place. The work, to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs.98.91 lakh, is expected to be finished by December. A Mumbai-based company has been roped in.

The Highways Department maintains only four roads in the city — the VOC Salai (Wall Tax Road, which is NH 5), Anna Salai, EVR Salai and Inner Ring Road — and major bridges including the Koyambedu Bridge, Kasi Theatre Bridge and Maraimalai Adigalar Bridge. The maintenance of about 83 km of roads and bridges including Kodambakkam and Thiru Vi Ka (over Adyar River) had been handed over to the Chennai Corporation a couple of years ago.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092759040300.htm

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/6899/tm270908e1030220cnioe4.jpg

Courtesy : Tamilmurasu - Chennai Edition : 28.09.2008

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/6899/tm270908e1030220cnioe4.jpg

Courtesy : Tamilmurasu - Chennai Edition : 28.09.2008

I thought the airport flyover was on one side of the road. Last time I went, traffic was routed only on one side of the flyover. The photo shows traffic on both sides ?

^^ it's actually right down the middle of the road - there are 3 ground-level lanes going south towards Tambaram, 2 or 3 lanes on the flyover heading north towards Kathipara, and 1 or 2 lanes at ground-level heading north towards Kathipara, which will serve traffic into and out of the airport...

Multi-level parking, seven aero-bridges, an elevated bus stop have also been planned

Metro rail station will come up near the airport

CHENNAI: Work on a new international terminal, domestic terminal, multi-level parking and new aero-bridges will begin shortly at the Chennai airport. Construction of a bus stop, at an elevated level, on the flyover in front of the airport will also be taken up.

Airport sources said Rs.1,200 crore would be spent on constructing the terminal buildings, the multi-level parking and the aero-bridges, besides an electrical sub-station. The bus stop might cost Rs.3 crore.

As per the original plan, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was to create the bus stop on the flyover and another one, at the ground level, near the Trisoolam railway station .

If the NHAI did not execute the project, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would fund it, sources said.

MTC and mofussil buses would stop at the bay on the flyover. From there, either an escalator or a lift would bring the passengers down, said the sources. The AAI had approved the scheme and called for tenders. Once the contract was awarded, the sources said, the work would be completed in 26 months.

The expansion included installation of seven new aero-bridges in both the domestic and international terminals.

This apart, a Metro rail station was planned near the airport.
Land expected

The construction of a new international terminal on the southern side of the airport would begin after the Defence authorities handed over 20 acres to the AAI, said the sources.



Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/21/stories/2008092159780700.htm

Could some one please tell me that is not true. It is ridiculous to have a bus stop on the flyover and to have a escalator to bring people down. Are NHAI & AAI authorities loosing their mind???

Source: http://http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/21/stories/2008092159780700.htm

Could some one please tell me that is not true. It is ridiculous to have a bus stop on the flyover and to have a escalator to bring people down. Are NHAI & AAI authorities loosing their mind???

Thats a gud project!:) How can it be ridiculous?!?:wtf:

After all they're trying the ease the traffic on the airport road. Having bus stop at only ground level will make the traffic worse as all the buses will not allowed thru flyover for which the flyover is mainly built!:bash:

How many people come in bus to go to Airport in Chennai? None except employees. They can create a stop before or after the flyover and people can walk.

^^^^
Senthil,

Source is not working!:nuts:

... to be opened next month; Source: Tamil Murasu
http://tm.dinakaran.co.in/2992008/TM_29-09-08-E1-03-01%20CNI.jpg

How many people come in bus to go to Airport in Chennai? None except employees. They can create a stop before or after the flyover and people can walk.

There are people coming in mufusal bus to catch flight... Since car driving from south people in NH45 is horrible in recent times...

There are plenty of A/C busses available in this route from Madurai/ trichy, people are prefering to go by the same.. If no reserved train tickets avail..

In Last 6 months, I came thrice throu Bus from Trichy to Chennai and get down at airport to catch flight to Mumbai...

... to be opened next month; Source: Tamil Murasu
http://tm.dinakaran.co.in/2992008/TM_29-09-08-E1-03-01%20CNI.jpg

hmm.. Tambaram towards Guindy lower level view!.. good.

Tamil Murusu is only daily, always giving colorful flyover photos to us, rest all buggers r sleeping..

How many people come in bus to go to Airport in Chennai? None except employees. They can create a stop before or after the flyover and people can walk.
The entire concept of public transport to Airport is being viewed as an insane idea :bash: Don't you want to come out out of the clutches of private cabs, taxis; instead use public transport and thereby reduce congestion also?

hmm.. Tambaram towards Guindy lower level view!.. good.

Tamil Murusu is only daily, always giving colorful flyover photos to us, rest all buggers r sleeping..

One more view... courtesy dinakaran

http://dkn.dinakaran.co.in/3092008/DN_30-09-08_E1_02-02%20CNI.jpg

One more view... courtesy dinakaran

^^

Looks like even the lower level is slightly elevated from the ground. That's great. Does this make it a 3-level interchange?

Nice photos :)

^^ This kathipara is a really massive project considering there are 2 underpasses as well included. The best pics can be taken while landing at chennai airport from south Asian countries.

Is the main flyover is temporarly closed for the completion of the flyover.correct me if i am wrong :)

The entire concept of public transport to Airport is being viewed as an insane idea :bash: Don't you want to come out out of the clutches of private cabs, taxis; instead use public transport and thereby reduce congestion also?

Those who come out of the airport after a tiring journey and with huge luggage, will not prefer public transport. I have once tried to use public transport from Bangalore Airport to the City and found very uncomfortable to travel in a bus and then find an auto from the stop to my house.

I feel this Bus stop will just add to traffic jams on the flyover. I cannot see any Busstop Bays provided in the flyover (atleast in the pictures I have seen so far), which will make MTC buses stop (if at all they stop for passengers) in the center of the flyover adding Chaos.

I think regulating Taxis, and having exclusive set of Bus services from the airport to various parts of the city are better than expecting the Air Passenger carry his luggage all the way to the Flyover, climb it, wave his hand for a bus, push him inside and so on... My simple question is how many persons use the Trisulam Rail station to go to the airport. It is in front of the airport! Same might be the case for the Metro too.. who knows!

^^no its not!! I think u have got confused looking at the above pic. The road u see in the pic actually passes under the main flyover.

..

Rajnetwork: Source is not working!

I have fixed the source.

To clarify my question, I wasn't saying the project was wrong.
The point I was trying to make was that, from the article it looked like the authorities were planning to have a bus stop at the ground level and also one more on the flyover. We will have traffic bottlenecks both on the the ground on the flyover if that is the case.

Chief Minister approached for inauguration

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/01/images/2008100160550301.jpg
GETTING READY: Work on the grade separator at Kathipara junction is nearing completion.

CHENNAI: The clover-shaped grade separator at Kathipara junction, Guindy, will be thrown open for vehicular movement during November first week, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R. Baalu said here on Tuesday.

Talking to presspersons, he said his ministry has approached Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for a formal date to declare it open. The Union Minister inspected the grade separator before addressing a workshop on warehousing on the GST Road.

“I have been inspecting it [grade separator] daily and it might be commissioned during the first week of November. We have asked for the date and the Chief Minister’s office is yet to respond.”

The project costing over Rs.260 crore has been executed by the National Highways Authority India (NHAI). This is the first biggest grade separator in this part of the country. The project had suffered delay on account of contractual problems and cost escalation of raw materials.

One arm of the clover-shaped grade separator connecting GST Road and Inner Ring Road was opened for vehicular traffic a few months ago. Some other flyovers built in the city by the NHAI are at Koyambedu, Padi and at the junction of Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road and Velachery Main road.

Mr.Baalu said that the flyover near the Chennai Airport is scheduled to be commissioned on October 19.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/01/stories/2008100160550300.htm

Those who come out of the airport after a tiring journey and with huge luggage, will not prefer public transport. I have once tried to use public transport from Bangalore Airport to the City and found very uncomfortable to travel in a bus and then find an auto from the stop to my house.

I feel this Bus stop will just add to traffic jams on the flyover. I cannot see any Busstop Bays provided in the flyover (atleast in the pictures I have seen so far), which will make MTC buses stop (if at all they stop for passengers) in the center of the flyover adding Chaos.

I think regulating Taxis, and having exclusive set of Bus services from the airport to various parts of the city are better than expecting the Air Passenger carry his luggage all the way to the Flyover, climb it, wave his hand for a bus, push him inside and so on... My simple question is how many persons use the Trisulam Rail station to go to the airport. It is in front of the airport! Same might be the case for the Metro too.. who knows!

I agree with your point of passengers finding it difficult to climb up the flyover and then board the bus. But we should aim at making the public transport as friendly as possible for air travellers too.

Here in New York, I have taken the local trains every time I've been to the airport. I've sometimes had to change 3 trains, but I've never felt it to be very difficult. I take cabs only if I have a huge baggage to carry. And I find so many people doing the same here. That is what we should aim at.

There are scores of people coming to receive or send-off their friends/relatives, workers in the airport area plus quite a number of those undertaking short trips with very light luggage.These are the ones who will and should be benifitted by all these public transport facilities.

Perceptions of public transport being old, crowded, rickety and dirty should be changed.

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The clover-shaped grade separator at Kathipara junction, Guindy, will be thrown open for vehicular movement during November first week, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R. Baalu said here on Tuesday.

Talking to presspersons, he said his ministry has approached Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for a formal date to declare it open. The Union Minister inspected the grade separator before addressing a workshop on warehousing on the GST Road.

“I have been inspecting it [grade separator] daily and it might be commissioned during the first week of November. We have asked for the date and the Chief Minister’s office is yet to respond.”

The project costing over Rs.260 crore has been executed by the National Highways Authority India (NHAI).

This is the first biggest grade separator in this part of the country. The project had suffered delay on account of contractual problems and cost escalation of raw materials.

One arm of the clover-shaped grade separator connecting GST Road and Inner Ring Road was opened for vehicular traffic a few months ago. Some other flyovers built in the city by the NHAI are at Koyambedu, Padi and at the junction of Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road and Velachery Main road.

Mr.Baalu said that the flyover near the Chennai Airport is scheduled to be commissioned on October 19.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/02/stories/2008100255090500.htm

Nod For Land Acquisition In A Week’s Time
Julie Mariappan | TNN

Chennai: A flyover that will replace the existing subway at Ganesapuram in Vysarpadi in north Chennai will soon take shape. Within a week, the Municipal Administration and Water Supply department (MAWS) is all set to give its final nod to acquire lands along Dr Ambedkar Road for the project. The flyover will be 651 metres long and 16.6 metres wide, facilitating four lane traffic.
The ambitious project, planned by the DMK-led council in the Chennai Corporation, will cost the civic exchequer Rs 61.7 crore. This includes Rs 26 crore to acquire 28.5 grounds of land along the route and about Rs 8 crore to be paid to service agencies to shift utility lines like sewer mains and water pipes.
“There has been plenty of discussions going on between the district revenue administration and the corporation led by commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni every week in the past over the progress of land acquisition. Major developments on land acquisition will take place in the coming days,” a senior official said.
The local body informed the state about the nature of acquisitions and the number of properties required in February. The government acknowledged this in principle and issued an order three months ago. Then the Commissionerate of Revenue Administration (CRA) cleared the files.
After the finance department’s clearance, the CRA will issue notice to the land owners for representations. This could take about two months, sources said. Simultaneously, discussions will be held with the railways as the flyover is to come above a section of the Chennai Central-Arakkonam line. “We are seeking concurrence for alignment and shifting service lines. Their (Railways) apprehensions have been clarified and we are awaiting a reply,” sources said.
Once the flyover is complete, residents of Moolakadai, Madhavaram, Sharma Nagar, Bhaktavatsalam Colony, Vysarpadi and Ganesapuram can go to Doveton or Egmore in minutes. “Now, even a slight drizzle sees water stagnating on the subway for more than an hour, obstructing the flow of traffic,” said M Venkatesh, a resident of Vysarpadi.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/10/02&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00500&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Can any one list the Flyovers that have been completed / started in the last 4 years in Chennai?

I agree with your point of passengers finding it difficult to climb up the flyover and then board the bus. But we should aim at making the public transport as friendly as possible for air travellers too.

Here in New York, I have taken the local trains every time I've been to the airport. I've sometimes had to change 3 trains, but I've never felt it to be very difficult. I take cabs only if I have a huge baggage to carry. And I find so many people doing the same here. That is what we should aim at.

There are scores of people coming to receive or send-off their friends/relatives, workers in the airport area plus quite a number of those undertaking short trips with very light luggage.These are the ones who will and should be benifitted by all these public transport facilities.

Perceptions of public transport being old, crowded, rickety and dirty should be changed.

Yes ofcourse, only if things change this will not happen.. Also, I had mentioned that we cannot expect people to use the public transport if it is not convenient..
1) There should be some dedicated shuttle services, atleast like the ones in Bangalore.. and/or
2) Should have travellators to the Trisulam rail station via the proposed busstop and/or
3) There should be a Bay provided with All-weather shelters and GPS system Displays (but this one is not very effective) and
4) Move part of the existing Taxi stand opposite to Domestic Arrivals, to another location and replace it with a Bus station, and AC bus services with Tamil/English speaking conductors, should be started to important parts of the city especially to North & NW Chennai, as those places are the farthest places in the city so that MTC can exploit passengers, who might find Taxis extremely costly for such a long distance.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5769/tm041008e1040420cniay8.jpg

Final Preparation underway...

Source : Tamilmurasu 04.10.2008

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5769/tm041008e1040420cniay8.jpg

Final Preparation underway...

Source : Tamilmurasu 04.10.2008


Wow!!!! Are they really painting the whole flyover with the paint brush????
We Indians do know how to use manual labour even in this century :bash:

^^Good Catch there.

^^Think it's enough if we paint only the arm of the flyover and not the supporting pillars. Our "poster wallas" will carry out the task of decorating it. :lol: (From the above picture, one could see that the "decorating" task has already been started, well before the completion of the flyover itself.)

K. Lakshmi

— Photo: S. Thanthoni
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1871/20081005577901011227074gi6.jpg

RELIEF IN SIGHT: With nearly 70 per cent of the work completed, the Padi grade separator is on the road to completion.

CHENNAI: With nearly 70 per cent of the work completed, the grade separator at the busy Padi junction is expected to be thrown open to traffic by January-end.

The Rs.70-crore project, being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will facilitate free flow of traffic at the junction where pile-up of vehicles is common.

An NHAI official said that only five of the 100 spans of the elevated central rotary remained to be constructed. The work required more effort and time as traffic at the junction, connecting Anna Nagar, Red Hills, Padi and Villivakkam, had to be diverted.

Once the grade separator is ready, most of the vehicles will use the elevated rotary, the official said. Only vehicles going from Anna Nagar to Red Hills would take the Inner Ring Road.

The remaining work includes construction of a road over-bridge on the Villivakkam side.

Several issues, including land acquisition and obtaining Southern Railway’s approval to close the level crossing at the Villivakkam junction, had delayed the work. With all these resolved, the NHAI is confident of completing the over-bridge in a few months and, along with it, the grade separator.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/05/stories/2008100557790100.htm

^^Any updates on Madhuravoyal grade separator?

Wow!!!! Are they really painting the whole flyover with the paint brush????
We Indians do know how to use manual labour even in this century :bash:
Why do they even paint the fly over (except for painting pillars with reflective paint where they are traffic hazards)? It's just a waste of money.

^^ to cover up what looks like masonry work

^^ to cover up what looks like masonry work
Aren't these poured/cast in place? The one's I've seen built this way often look seamless and do not need painting?!

Forget about traffic chaos at the Guindy Kathipara junction for at least the next 15 years because, on completion of the grade separator there, any vehicle from Guindy can reach the Chennai airport within eight minutes, a senior official with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) told Deccan Chronicle. The grade separator, which has consumed about Rs 84 crore, is perhaps the largest one of its kind in south Asia constructed by NHAI. Ninety-five per cent of the bridgework is over and the rest of the work would come to an end before October 19. Subsequently cosmetic works and landscaping would take a week. By the end of October, the bridge would be ready for inauguration. Massive lights and eight gantry signboards would indicate the lanes and directions to be followed by the people.

Besides, small boards would be placed along each lane for about every 100 metres.
The National Highways Authority of India official said the bridge would be an asset to Guindy, which serves as the gateway to south Chennai. The objective of the grade separator is to remove the existing traffic signals and enhance traffic flow. The bridge on completion would ease traffic flow in eight different directions and vehicles from the suburbs can enter the city without any hindrance.

About 1,000 workers were employed round-the-clock. For the past two years several people worked even during the national public holidays to ensure early completion. The work force surged to 1,400 when the project was at its peak in 2007. According to sources, the Kathipara site has not witnessed any accident or major casualty. During the initial days where the project faced difficulties in land acquisition the field directors personally visited the people who had to give up their homes and assured them of a good compensation for their land. The most difficult part was handling traffic during the construction period.

The construction of grade separators at Kathipara and Padi junction were taken up by the National Highways Authority of India in April 2005 with the target of completing them in twenty-four months to improve access to the Golden Quadrilateral Corridor that links Chennai to the national capital and the other metros in the country.

http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/City/CityNews.asp#Kathipara%20connection

A flyover at G N Chetty Road and Dr Nair Road junction in T Nagar will be thrown open to vehicular traffic in November, said Mayor M Subramanian.
He said this while inspecting the ongoing construction work on Saturday.
G N Chetty Road project is one of the three flyovers proposed by the corporation to ease the traffic congestion in T Nagar. The others are on South Usman Road and North Usman Road-Mahalingapuram.
The T Nagar flyover is 505-metre long and 15-metre wide allowing two-way traffic. GN Chetty Road project costs the exchequer about Rs 16.50 crore. Currently, ramps are being built on each side of the flyover, while Metrowater has taken up shifting of its utility lines.
The mayor has directed the authorities to speed up the tarring of service roads and laying of pavements under the flyover.

It seems chennai corporation are nowadays completing the projects on time
:banana:

the rains have hit. lets see what happens to these deadlines :)

the rains have hit. lets see what happens to these deadlines :)

The rains which lashed the city and other parts of TN are cause of the SW Monsoon's persistence to withdraw.. (source: IMD)So.. the NE monsoon is yet to start.. which means these guys are now getting extra time to complete the work.. As you know. SW monsoon rains are not as vigorous as NE monsoon in Chennai

Traffic snarls on the road to the airport and beyond could be a thing of the past soon. The 1.6-km long flyover constructed by National High
way Authority of India at a cost of 97 crore will be thrown open to the public on Sunday by chief minister M Karunanidhi.

Vehicles proceeding towards Kathipara from Tambaram will use the three-lane elevated way, while the vehicles going from Guindy towards the airport and beyond will take the ground-level road. There will be two exclusive lanes for cars and other vehicles that seek entry to the airport, and three other lanes to proceed towards Tambaram.
The NHAI has already constructed a subway from Trisulam railway station to the airport to help pedestrians cross the busy highway.

"Once the flyover is open, the chaos before the airport will come to an end. It will ensure smooth flow of traffic in either direction," said an official.

However, there are fears that motorists may tend to accelerate on the six-lane highway leading to accidents. Authorities say strict lane discipline needs to be enforced to prevent such mishaps.

There have been numerous accidents involving two-wheeler riders and speeding buses between Chromepet and Kathipara, and in the vicinity of the airport in the last couple of years, said the police.

"The traffic police should at least step in now to bring about strict lane discipline on the stretch. Trucks, buses and other four wheelers jostle for space and two-wheeler riders often fall victim in the process," said Abraham, an employee of a private firm who uses the stretch regularly.

As buses need to go to the left corner at every bus stop, they should be prevented from going close to the median, he suggested.

Another motorist suggested that there should be a clear lane demarcation for two wheelers, cars and other vehicles. They fear that unless lane discipline is inculcated and a mechanism to control speed is evolved, the construction of flyover may not help bring down accidents on the arterial stretch.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chennai/Airport_flyover_to_be_thrown_open_on_Sun_/articleshow/3592770.cms

In a development that could delay the proposed flyover project at Cenotaph Road, the Madras high court has restrained authorities from dispossessing two residents of their land.
Justice K Kannan, holding a vacation sitting last week, passed the interim order on a writ petition filed by G V Ramakrishna of Srinivas Theatres (P) Limited. In his petition, Ramakrishna contended that though a flyover was scheduled to come up on Chamiers Road originally, the plan was changed for reasons best known to the authorities.
The proposal to shift the project to the Cenotaph Road-Turnbulls Road came to light only after a resident obtained confirmation after making an application under the Right To Information Act. With a view to taking possession of identified lands expeditiously, the government issued two notifications — on September 9 and 24 — dispensing with the inquiry contemplated under Section 5A of the Land Acquisition Act.
According to the petition filed by advocate Abbudu Kumar Rajarathinam, the authorities have already started preliminary activities such as ascertaining the ownership of the plots identified for acquisition. As the mandatory Section 5A inquiry and Section 6 declaration had been dispensed with, the petitioner apprehended that he would be dispossessed of his land by the second week of October. If that happened, he would be put to serious and irreparable loss, he said.
Ramakrishna said if the proposal was implemented, a Vinayaka temple on Cenotaph Road too will be destroyed, hurting the sentiments of devotees.
Sources:TOI
I don't know what others think but i feel the temple should not be demolished.Will they demolish a mosque,church or a politician house.In kathipara flyover except le meridian all the corners are demolished.

I don't know what others think but i feel the temple should not be demolished.Will they demolish a mosque,church or a politician house.In kathipara flyover except le meridian all the corners are demolished.

if you are coming from south (say tidel park), this is the first junction that has huge traffic jam. anyone will tell you that it requires a flyover. i don't remember seeing any large or temple of historic value in this place. i wouldn't say the same about for eg. marundeeswarar temple at thiruvanmiyur which is a big temple about 1300 years old - road expansion around such historic buildings should ensure they are preserved. however, if a small temple of any religion is coming in the way it should be demolished and the owners compensated for. we should not communalize such developments.

btw, at kathipara flyover, le meridian was not in the way of flyover. it was some distance away from junction. there is a loop at this corner and i think there were some buildings demolished in this corner as well.

".....In his petition, Ramakrishna contended that though a flyover was scheduled to come up on Chamiers Road originally, the plan was changed for reasons best known to the authorities.
The proposal to shift the project to the Cenotaph Road-Turnbulls Road came to light only after a resident obtained confirmation after making an application under the Right To Information Act......."

I have read in previous reports that the flyover plan was changed as per the request of the local residents and a study from Anna Univ. that the new plan would serve the best interest of people.
If that's true, then isn't this petition itself is totally baseless???

I bet that they really don't care about the hindu temple and they included it in the petition, just to create an issue.....

.......

According to sources, the Kathipara site has not witnessed any accident or major casualty.

.......
http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/City/CityNews.asp#Kathipara%20connection


Very funny....

During my peak hour travel I had seen an accident myself. An old man's leg was cut into two by an MTC bus. This old man who was a pilion rider on a bike was accompanied by his son, who escaped injuries... This happened right on the Kathipara bridge because of the traffic caused by the signals near and after Olympia Tech Park towards ashok pillar.:ohno:

Besides this I heard of many other accidents...

I believe this is Sardar Patel Road - Kotturpuram Road Flyover

Courtesy: Dinakaran (10/14/2008)
http://dkn.dinakaran.com/14102008/DN_14-10-08_E1_02-04%20CNI.jpg

A‡® ê˜î£˜ ð†«ì™ ꣬ôJ™ «ð£‚°õóˆ¶ ªïKê¬ô °¬ø‚è, Cô ݇´‚° º¡¹ ñ£ïèó£†C «ñ‹ð£ô‹ 膮ò¶. ï£À‚°  ÜFèK‚°‹ õ£èùƒèO¡ â‡E‚¬èò£™ ªïKê™ Hó„¬ù b˜‰î𣮙¬ô. «ïŸÁ 裬ô «ð£‚°õóˆ¶ ªïKê™ ãŸð†ì ð£ôˆF½‹, ܬîªò£†® ܬñ‚èŠð†ì ꣬ôJ½‹ õ£èùƒèœ õK¬êò£è GŸA¡øù.

I don't know what others think but i feel the temple should not be demolished.Will they demolish a mosque,church or a politician house.In kathipara flyover except le meridian all the corners are demolished.

Cum on dude, you are starting a communal debate here....

Churches and Mosques are never on unauthorized lands...

You'll never find them inbetween roads, on roads, under trees...etc

Besides, if its an old temple, I feel some arrangement should be made not to demolish it.

I believe every unauthorized building should be demolished, be it a Church, Mosque, Temple or a politicians house:lol:...

I believe this is Sardar Patel Road - Kotturpuram Road Flyover

Courtesy: Dinakaran (10/14/2008)
http://dkn.dinakaran.com/14102008/DN_14-10-08_E1_02-04%20CNI.jpg

A‡® ê˜î£˜ ð†«ì™ ꣬ôJ™ «ð£‚°õóˆ¶ ªïKê¬ô °¬ø‚è, Cô ݇´‚° º¡¹ ñ£ïèó£†C «ñ‹ð£ô‹ 膮ò¶. ï£À‚°  ÜFèK‚°‹ õ£èùƒèO¡ â‡E‚¬èò£™ ªïKê™ Hó„¬ù b˜‰î𣮙¬ô. «ïŸÁ 裬ô «ð£‚°õóˆ¶ ªïKê™ ãŸð†ì ð£ôˆF½‹, ܬîªò£†® ܬñ‚èŠð†ì ꣬ôJ½‹ õ£èùƒèœ õK¬êò£è GŸA¡øù.

yes, it is the iit flyover. i don't know why we have so much traffic below on the day this picture was taken. but i used to travel through this junction for nearly 3 years and traffic below (to either go straight towards rajbhavan or right turn into kotturpuram) is generally a short signal even during peak hours. this flyover certainly reduced the wait at the junction, just that the reporter and our average people don't understand it. if you do see all that traffic on a flyover, this is what it means - the next junction requires a flyover. in the last 10 years since this iit flyover was built, there is a massive traffic into it corridor and making it imperative for a flyover at madya kailash.

Cum on dude, you are starting a communal debate here....

Churches and Mosques are never on unauthorized lands...

You'll never find them inbetween roads, on roads, under trees...etc

Besides, if its an old temple, I feel some arrangement should be made not to demolish it.

I believe every unauthorized building should be demolished, be it a Church, Mosque, Temple or a politicians house:lol:...

just to be fair, some of these temples could have existed there for decades even before a road plan existed for those places. so, we cannot always call them encroachments.

Very funny....

During my peak hour travel I had seen an accident myself. An old man's leg was cut into two by an MTC bus. This old man who was a pilion rider on a bike was accompanied by his son, who escaped injuries... This happened right on the Kathipara bridge because of the traffic caused by the signals near and after Olympia Tech Park towards ashok pillar.:ohno:

Besides this I heard of many other accidents...

no, no, what they mean is no accidents because of construction - general public or construction employees.