5 days ago
Fully open, Palanganatham flyover to decongest city
Madurai: Chief minister M K Stalin on Thursday virtually inaugurated the second arm of the Palanganatham road flyover in Madurai from Chennai. The project aims to ease congestion for vehicles travelling from the city to Thiruparankundram, TVS Nagar and Jaihindpuram.
Constructed by the national highways wing of State Highways department, the flyover was completed at a cost of `68.38 crore.
The new arm connects Palanganatham with Jaihindpuram, complementing the already operational first arm that links Palanganatham to TVS Nagar. Together, these arms replace the heavily congested railway level crossing (No. 366) between Madurai and Virudhunagar.
The flyover spans 730 metre and consists of 47 piers and 51 spans, along with service roads, a stormwater drain system, and an underpass.
It will improve connectivity between the western parts of Madurai such as Tiruparankundram and Kalavasal, and eastern areas including Jaihindpuram, TVS Nagar, Villapuram, Avaniapuram, and the airport zone.
The project was originally proposed under the Railway Works Programme in 2006-2007, with administrative approval granted for `30 crore. An agreement was signed with the contractor in 2011 for an estimated `33 crore, and initial construction connecting Madakulam and TVS Nagar was completed by 2015.
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However, legal disputes over land acquisition delayed the Jaihindpuram arm, resulting in the termination of the earlier contractor's work in 2014.
A fresh agreement was later signed with a new contractor for `18.37 crore in Nov 2022 to complete the remaining work, which was wrapped up last month. With the entire flyover now open, city officials expect significant relief for motorists navigating key traffic bottlenecks.
T Nageshwaran, a transportation activist, said the project not only reduces travel time between key neighbourhoods but also promises a safer, more reliable route by eliminating the need to wait at the busy railway crossing. Though it was delayed for years, the new arm is expected to handle increasing traffic volumes efficiently and contribute to smoother intra-city transport in the years to come, added Nageshwaran.
