Chennai, March 12 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu State Highways Department has begun a major widening project at the Padi Rail Overbridge (ROB) on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai (Inner Ring Road), aimed at easing one of the most significant traffic bottlenecks along the busy arterial corridor.

The ₹139-crore project will convert the existing three-lane bridge into a dual five-lane structure and widen the narrow approach roads towards Padi, which have long been a source of severe congestion for motorists travelling between north and south Chennai.

As part of the project, the Tamil Nadu highways department will undertake widening works and structural improvements within its land limits, including laying road portions and installing girders.

The segment of the bridge that crosses the railway tracks will be executed by Southern Railway, which is sourcing the required girders from its yard in Arakkonam.

The project also involves the shifting of certain electrical lines to facilitate construction activities.

Upon completion, the width of the corridor at the bridge will expand significantly from the current 27 metres to about 53 metres.

The upgraded structure will feature five lanes in each direction along with pedestrian footpaths on both sides. Officials say the expansion is expected to improve traffic flow and enhance safety for both motorists and pedestrians.

The approach roads and adjacent stretches are also being widened to five lanes with a central median, a measure intended to streamline traffic movement and reduce accidents along the corridor.

The project is scheduled to be completed by April.

The Padi ROB, situated between Villivakkam and Korattur railway stations, currently acts as a major choke point on the Inner Ring Road.

While most portions of the corridor between Manali and Guindy already have five lanes on either side, the 1.1-km stretch near Padi abruptly narrows to just two lanes near the railway station, frequently causing traffic snarls and delays.

In addition to the bridge widening, the highways department is constructing two U-shaped service roads beneath the Villivakkam ROB at an estimated cost of ₹14 crore.

These 7.5-metre-wide roads will enable motorists to take U-turns towards North Korattur and Padi without entering the busy intersection.

Once completed, the service roads are expected to ease congestion near the North Korattur signal and allow light vehicles to bypass the junction, improving overall traffic circulation in the area.

Meanwhile, other stretches of the Inner Ring Road are also undergoing expansion as part of separate works being carried out by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

–IANS

aal/rad