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Around 70% of the four-lane elevated corridor on Anna Salai has been completed, and the Tamil Nadu Highways Department plans to open the project by the end of November.
Anna Salai Flyover on Chennai Metro Tunnel
The 3.2-km flyover is considered the country's first elevated corridor to be built directly above an operational metro tunnel. It is being constructed using prefabricated steel components, making the project more complex than a normal flyover. Due to the engineering challenges, the total project cost has increased to ₹621 crore.
Once completed, the flyover is expected to reduce travel time between Teynampet and Saidapet from around 30 minutes to just five minutes. It will also help ease traffic congestion at seven busy junctions, including Eldams Road, SIET College Road, Cenotaph Road, Nandanam, CIT Nagar, CIT Nagar 1st Main Road and Jones Road.
According to officials, about 1.9 km of the flyover has already been completed, and 46 out of 69 piers have been built. Since the Chennai Metro tunnel lies 14 to 15 metres below Anna Salai, engineers had to take extra care during construction. To protect the underground tunnel, the foundation for the flyover was dug only seven metres deep.
Nearly 2.4 km of the flyover passes directly above the metro tunnel, including a 460-metre stretch above the Teynampet and Nandanam Metro stations. The remaining 655 metres is located outside the metro section. Reinforced concrete deck slabs have already been laid along about 2 km of the corridor.
The project was originally expected to be completed by September, but work was delayed due to labour shortage. Many workers returned to their hometowns during the elections and resumed work only later. Construction is also allowed only for six hours at night, which slowed progress.
Officials said work has now picked up speed, and the flyover is likely to be ready by November-end. Around 15,000 tonnes of steel components are being manufactured in Gujarat and Telangana and transported to Chennai for assembly.
Regular commuters have urged authorities to complete the remaining work quickly, as ongoing flyover construction and Chennai Metro Phase II works have caused heavy traffic congestion on Anna Salai.