Chennai’s 4km Light House-Adyar flyover has been revived with a revised alignment along Santhome High Road, Greenways Road and up to the Thiru Vi Ka bridge across the Adyar river, as the state highways department begins the process of preparing a detailed project report.
The department has floated a tender for the DPR at an estimated cost of ₹38 lakh, with the report expected to be completed within two months. The elevated corridor will start near Light House on Kamarajar Salai and is intended to provide a faster connection towards Adyar.
Senior highways officials told the Times of India that the revised proposal differs from an earlier plan for a sea-link. The new structure will remain on the road-side along the Santhome High Road stretch and will not touch Marina Loop Road. The carriageway is narrow at some locations, and land acquisition may be required for around 30% of the corridor, officials said. The right of way beyond Santhome High Road is considered adequate.
The proposed alignment places the project within a dense and operationally sensitive part of south Chennai. The 4km route currently takes around 30 minutes to cross during peak hours and about 20 minutes at other times, according to officials. Traffic towards Adyar, OMR, ECR and Guindy, along with return traffic towards Kamarajar Salai, is expected to be diverted through Loop Road during construction.
The coastal setting will also influence the structure’s design and construction materials. A highways official said salt-laden conditions could accelerate rust formation, and that the elevated corridor may therefore have to be built using concrete. The final engineering specifications will be determined through the DPR process.
The earlier attempt to establish a similar connection through Besant Nagar and the Broken Bridge was put on hold before the elections after the proposal required the relocation of about 3,000 fishermen families in Srinivasapuram. Officials said the revised design was selected after taking that issue into consideration. The new proposal avoids the earlier sea-side alignment and instead follows existing road corridors.
The project was announced by highways minister Aadhav Arjuna and is described by officials as the first major project of the highways department under the TVK government. The department has also indicated that it plans to develop elevated corridors longer than 5km as part of a broader approach. Other projects mentioned by officials include proposed corridors from Padi to Thirunindravur, Madhavaram to Sholavaram and Kilambakkam to Mahindra City.
The immediate milestone for the Light House-Adyar connection is completion of the DPR, after which the alignment, land requirements, structural design and construction arrangements will have to be finalised.
