Under-construction Oragadam flyover throws traffic out of gear

Heavy traffic congestion is giving a nightmarish experience to residents and road users everyday at the Oragadam junction, a major intersection about 30 kilometres from the city, where roads to Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Vandalur branch out.

Besides the rapid industrialisation that Oragadam is witnessing and the consequent growth in the number of residential communities, the construction of a mega flyover is contributing to the traffic chaos.

The lorries frequenting the roads by taking abrupt turns under the flyover have also duly contributed to the bulk of the traffic jams.

“As the roads are not properly laid, many a time the lorries and trucks get stuck and are unable to move further. This also causes problems,” says Kathiresan, a truck driver.

People fear that with the onset of monsoon, the roads would get slushy and intensify the already heavy traffic jams, which continue for long hours.

“The construction of the flyover must be expedited. This would help ease traffic conditions,” says V S Sridharan, a resident of Oragadam.

Sridharan also felt that along with the construction of the flyover, the damaged roads should also be repaired.

The problem is also accentuated by the innumerable encroachments in the form of shops and eateries. Thus, the possibility of widening the road is difficult, Sridharan said.

People are now expecting officials to look into the process of completing the construction of the flyover and repairing roads as well.

When contacted, officials of the Tamil Nadu Road Infrastructure Development Corporation (TNRIDC),  said, "The construction work would have been completed before six months. But, due to cases pending in courts over land acquisition for laying service roads and road widening process, the work still continues. We are trying to complete it within four months' time."

The construction of the flyover began in 2009 when the State Department of Highways and Minor Ports proposed to construct a flyover connecting Vandalur to Wallajahbad at an estimated budget of Rs 22 crore. The project was proposed to cater to the needs of industries situated in and around Oragadam industrial park.