If you think traffic snarls are bad now because of work on the Chennai metro, expect worse over the next eight months. Across the city, 110 streets are going to be barricaded and traffic diverted. So, expect to face delays of 10 to 30 minutes more on your daily commute.
All vehicles travelling from Anna Salai towards Panagal Park via Venkatnarayana Road are now rerouted through Link Road. In the coming months, more space on Venkatnarayana Road will be occupied for Metro work, reducing it to just two lanes. Originally set to be completed by the end of this year, the deadline has now been pushed to Sept next year.
Across the city, nearly 25 km of road space will be taken over for work on elevated corridors and stations.
Among the worst-hit will be Nathamuni Junction in Villivakkam, Adyar Depot and parts of Thoraipakkam, Mylapore, Aynavaram, Purasawalkam and Moolakadai. They can expect to deal with barricades and diversions until 2026.
To address these challenges, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) has adopted multiple strategies. R Sudhakar, additional CoP, GCTP, said, “Private land is being rented to temporarily widen lanes opposite construction zones, avoiding total road closures.” For instance, on Barnaby Road, the median was shifted, and land was rented to ensure that seven metres of road remained accessible in both directions. Similar measures have been taken on Sterling Road and Nungambakkam High Road, with CMRL utilising its road maintenance funds to cover rental costs.
The LB Road flyover in Adyar, previously uni-directional, was converted into a two-way bridge to avoid longer detours. Unlike Phase I of metro work, Phase II benefits from internal roads developed and repurposed to manage diversions better.
GCTP has ruled out full roadblocks at critical junctions such as Thoraipakkam and Chetpet. Instead, closures will be phased to minimise disruptions. For example, although partial demolitions were required at RK Mutt Road, traffic was redirected to alternative routes without interruptions.
Of 75 km of elevated corridors under construction, CMRL said 50 km have been handed over to GCTP. Contractors have been instructed to occupy only the minimum space necessary for storing construction material and equipment, said T Archunan, CMRL director (projects).
However, motorists argue that CMRL and other govt agencies have not consulted the public before implementing traffic changes. “There are hardly any meetings with the public to discuss alternatives before traffic diversions are implemented,” said D Ramachandran, a resident-activist from Adambakkam.
All vehicles travelling from Anna Salai towards Panagal Park via Venkatnarayana Road are now rerouted through Link Road. In the coming months, more space on Venkatnarayana Road will be occupied for Metro work, reducing it to just two lanes. Originally set to be completed by the end of this year, the deadline has now been pushed to Sept next year.
Across the city, nearly 25 km of road space will be taken over for work on elevated corridors and stations.
Among the worst-hit will be Nathamuni Junction in Villivakkam, Adyar Depot and parts of Thoraipakkam, Mylapore, Aynavaram, Purasawalkam and Moolakadai. They can expect to deal with barricades and diversions until 2026.
To address these challenges, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) has adopted multiple strategies. R Sudhakar, additional CoP, GCTP, said, “Private land is being rented to temporarily widen lanes opposite construction zones, avoiding total road closures.” For instance, on Barnaby Road, the median was shifted, and land was rented to ensure that seven metres of road remained accessible in both directions. Similar measures have been taken on Sterling Road and Nungambakkam High Road, with CMRL utilising its road maintenance funds to cover rental costs.
The LB Road flyover in Adyar, previously uni-directional, was converted into a two-way bridge to avoid longer detours. Unlike Phase I of metro work, Phase II benefits from internal roads developed and repurposed to manage diversions better.
GCTP has ruled out full roadblocks at critical junctions such as Thoraipakkam and Chetpet. Instead, closures will be phased to minimise disruptions. For example, although partial demolitions were required at RK Mutt Road, traffic was redirected to alternative routes without interruptions.
Of 75 km of elevated corridors under construction, CMRL said 50 km have been handed over to GCTP. Contractors have been instructed to occupy only the minimum space necessary for storing construction material and equipment, said T Archunan, CMRL director (projects).
However, motorists argue that CMRL and other govt agencies have not consulted the public before implementing traffic changes. “There are hardly any meetings with the public to discuss alternatives before traffic diversions are implemented,” said D Ramachandran, a resident-activist from Adambakkam.
