Motorists want the service lane under Medavakkam flyover to be finished soon

Sources in the Highways Department say the delay is due to land acquisition, the rain and also a slight demand for bitumen

Motorists using Velachery-Tambaram Road have urged the Highways Department to lay the service lane beneath the Medavakkam flyover as riding has become difficult due to its bad surface.

Pallikaranai resident Vidyasagar Jagadeesan said till about 15 days ago, the road was very dusty, and motorists, especially two-wheeler riders, found it difficult to ride on it. “There were big blue metal stones. The work to lay the tar layer began a few days ago. We hope it will be finished soon,” he said.

Sources in the Highways Department said one layer of dense bituminous macadam (DBM) was laid a week ago. One more layer of DBM and the final layer of bituminous concrete would be laid shortly. The entire work would be complete in about 10 days. The delay was due to land acquisition, the rain and also a slight demand for bitumen, which has been fixed now.

However, the work on about 300-m of service lane under the other flyover in the Tambaram to Velachery direction will take some more time since the land belongs to the Forest Department. “We have sent a land exchange request to them. However, it is pending. We hope they will consider our proposal since it involves road user safety,” said an official of the Highways Department.

K. Mukundan, a resident of Velachery, said motorists from Rice Mill Road drive on the wrong side for about 200 m on Velachery-Tambaram Road beneath the flyover. They do not use the U-turn provided under the flyover. Steps should be taken to prevent this, he added.