For over two years, more than one lakh daily commuters and motorists on the crucial Chennai-Tirupati national highway have been trapped in relentless traffic gridlock. The source of their misery is the incomplete Pattabiram Road-Over-Bridge (ROB), a key infrastructure project meant to ease travel, which remains only partially functional.
A Bridge Half Built, A Promise Half Kept
The Pattabiram ROB, designed to connect the Pattabiram–Thiruninravur stretch, was envisioned as a major upgrade. Planned as a 780-meter-long and 11-meter-wide six-lane structure, it aimed to replace the problematic level crossing near Pattabiram railway station. The state government allocated ₹78.35 crore for the project in 2022, funds which have reportedly been fully utilized.
However, the reality on the ground is starkly different. Only one arm of the bridge—the section towards Thiruninravur—was opened to the public on September 25, 2022. The opposite arm, intended for vehicles coming from the other direction and slated for completion last year by the Highways Department, remains unfinished. This forces all traffic to squeeze through the single operational arm.
Daily Chaos and Commuter Anguish
The currently open section is just 5.5 meters wide with three lanes. To accommodate two-way traffic, authorities have placed a temporary median, creating a perilously narrow passage. This bottleneck leads to severe daily traffic snarls, frequent vehicle breakdowns, and an increased risk of accidents.
Commuters highlight that the problem is compounded by the absence of proper supporting infrastructure. "There's no roundabout near the flyover, which is another cause for congestion," said A Roy Rosario, founder of People's Voice, Pattabiram. He revealed that while an initial RTI response indicated a roundabout would be built after land acquisition, a later response stated no funds were allocated as it was not part of the project.
Residents also point to unmet promises about service roads. T Krishnamoorthy, a local advocate, noted that officials had promised to widen service roads after acquiring land. "But, the service road remains a narrow space used by shopkeepers as a parking lot," he said. This lack of space forces buses, cars, and heavy vehicles to use the flyover even for U-turns, worsening the congestion.
The Road Ahead: More Funds, But Will It End?
Faced with persistent public outcry and the glaring infrastructure gap, the state government has now sanctioned an additional ₹13.5 crore to complete the remaining portion of the ROB. This move offers a glimmer of hope for the lakhs of daily users, including many buses headed to Tirupati via Tiruvallur and Tiruttani that rely on this route.
However, the experience of the past two years has left commuters skeptical. The bridge stands as a symbol of delayed public projects where expenditure does not translate to timely completion. With the new funds in place, all eyes are now on the Highways Department to expedite work and finally deliver the full six-lane bridge that was promised, bringing much-needed relief to one of Chennai's busiest corridors.
