Chennai is set to see significant improvements in traffic management with the upcoming construction of a 603-metre link road designed to alleviate congestion in the southern part of the city. The State Highway Department has announced the development of this new road, which will connect DGS Dinakaran Salai, commonly known as Greenways Road, with Durgabhai Deshmukh Road through the Tamil Nadu Music College.
This proposed one-way link road aims to streamline traffic flow for motorists travelling from Santhome High Road and Mylapore to Adyar, Guindy, and the East Coast Road. By providing an alternative route, the new road will help avoid the congested Greenways Road junction, thus reducing the burden on the Greenways Road-Durgabhai Deshmukh Road intersection. The project, with a cost estimate of Rs 37.86 crore, has recently had tenders floated for its construction. According to a Highways Department official, the Greenways Road-Durgabhai Deshmukh Road junction is notorious for severe traffic bottlenecks, exacerbated by the dense residential and commercial developments in the vicinity. The new link road is anticipated to ease these congestion points by facilitating smoother traffic movement from the Santhome and Mylapore areas towards Adyar and Guindy.
The construction will necessitate the removal of existing medians on Durgabhai Deshmukh Road, as the road will be designated for one-way traffic only. The project had been in the pipeline since 2022, with plans to acquire 8,087 square metres of government land from various departments for the road’s construction. Additionally, a recent proposal for an extra 404.50 square metres of land was submitted to the Collector to accommodate curve adjustments. The project’s implementation includes allocating Rs 2.5 crore for the reconstruction of affected government properties, such as a pet care centre and structures within the Judge’s Quarters. The road’s route also intersects with the Coastal Regulatory Zone; hence, the Tamil Nadu State Zone Management Authority has granted clearance under the CRZ Notification 2011, stipulating that the culverts should not impede water flow and that embankments remain clear of the inter-tidal zone.
