60% of Inner Ring Road ROB widening works completed: TN Highways dept
The project involves converting the existing structure into a dual five-lane bridge and widening the narrow approach road towards Padi.
Representative Image
CHENNAI: The state highways department has completed 60 per cent of the widening works on the road overbridge (ROB) near Padi on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, also known as Inner Ring Road (IRR).
The project involves converting the existing structure into a dual five-lane bridge and widening the narrow approach road towards Padi.
However, the department is awaiting the state government's financial approval to construct two U-shaped service roads beneath the Villivakkam ROB at an estimated cost of Rs 14 crore. These service roads will facilitate U-turns for vehicles heading towards North Korattur and Padi.
Highway officials said the existing three-lane ROB is being expanded to five lanes on both sides. The total road width will increase from 27 metres to 53 metres, including footpaths on either side. The approach road and a small adjoining stretch will also be widened to five lanes with a central median and pavements, ensuring smoother traffic flow.
“We have completed 60 per cent of the work. Walling work is in progress. We have time until March 2026 to complete the project,” said a highways department official.
The entire project, including ROB and approach road widening along with road safety features, is estimated to cost around Rs 140 crore.
The ROB lies between Villivakkam and Korattur railway stations. While the IRR generally has five lanes on either side of the median, a 1.1-km stretch between Padi junction and the ROB narrows to three lanes, and further reduces to just two lanes near Padi railway station, creating a major traffic bottleneck and frequent accidents, an official source said.
A proposal has been sent for financial sanction to build a 7.5-metre-wide service road beneath the ROB to enable U-turns on both sides of the railway line. “We expect the government order by next month,” the official added.
Once constructed, the service road is expected to ease congestion at the North Korattur signal, allowing light vehicles to bypass it entirely.
