Chennai's GST Road Set To Revive Its 8-Lane Expansion Project; How Will Each Arm Ease Traffic?

Chennai: In a move to address long-standing traffic issues along the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road, the Tamil Nadu government has revived its eight-lane expansion project, allocating Rs 12.8 crore to complete pending work on the Perungalathur flyover. The project aims to improve traffic flow and safety on one of the city’s busiest highways.

Eight-Lane Expansion to Boost Traffic FlowUnder the Chennai Metropolitan Development Plan (CMDP), the highway department is set to widen the 1.5-km stretch beneath the Perungalathur flyover, including portions that connect to the approach arms, creating a continuous eight-lane roadway, as per a TOI report. This upgrade, which involves a new bituminous layer, is expected to be completed by mid-2025. Currently, some parts of this stretch are only four lanes, leading to frequent bottlenecks, worsened by rainwater stagnation. To tackle these issues, CMDP also plans to install effective drainage systems and remove obstacles. Improved Access with New Service RoadsAdditionally, new service roads along Gandhi Road in East Tambaram will help streamline access to the Chennai-Trichy highway, which sees over 1.8 lakh vehicles daily. These service roads aim to offer smoother entry and exit points, especially for local residents who experience heavy congestion daily. Fourth Flyover Arm to Connect to Eastern BypassOne major highlight of the project is the completion of the flyover's fourth arm, which will connect to the Tambaram Eastern Bypass. This segment, long delayed due to land acquisition issues with the forest department and the electricity board, finally saw progress in July, allowing the tender process to begin last week. Local residents view this new connection as crucial for easing local traffic. "An 850m portion connecting to Rajakilpakkam needs urgent attention. With heavy vehicles restricted below, residents will have access without congestion. Otherwise, the flyover will still be packed," said Dayanand Krishnan, a resident and activist in Tambaram. Concerns Over Bottlenecks at IrumbuliyurWhile residents welcome the improvements, some remain sceptical, pointing to unresolved traffic jams at Irumbuliyur, located just a few hundred metres away. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had previously started work on a vehicular underpass at this location, but progress stalled due to obstacles, causing continued congestion. The Perungalathur flyover project, first initiated in 2010, currently has three operational arms: one connecting to Srinivasa Raghava Nagar and two running parallel to the national highway. The first of these opened in 2022, with the others following in subsequent years.