Chennai: At least one lakh commuters and motorists continue to face daily traffic congestion on the Pattabiram Road Overbridge (ROB) on the busy Chennai–Tirupati National Highway, as only one arm of the bridge remains open even nearly three years after the project began.The ROB, which connects the Pattabiram–Thiruninravur stretch and serves as a key link to the Outer Ring Road junction at Nemilichery, was planned to ease traffic movement and eliminate delays caused by the railway level crossing near Pattabiram railway station. However, the incomplete project has left motorists struggling with bottlenecks, long delays and safety concerns.While one arm of the bridge towards Thiruninravur was opened to traffic on Sept 25, 2024, the second arm meant for vehicles travelling in the opposite direction remains unfinished. The operational arm is only 5.5 metres wide with three lanes and is currently being used for two-way traffic with a temporary median.The bridge was designed as a 780-metre-long and 11-metre-wide six-lane structure. Although the state govt allocated ₹78.35 crore for the project in 2022 and the funds have been spent, the incomplete arm has forced all vehicles to use a narrow stretch, leading to frequent traffic snarls, particularly during vehicle breakdowns and minor accidents.The situation is further aggravated by the absence of service roads and a roundabout near the flyover. Motorists say buses, cars and heavy vehicles are forced to enter the flyover even for U-turns, adding to congestion on the stretch. The sgovt sanctioned an additional ₹13.5 crore to complete the remaining portion of the ROB last year, but no action has been taken yet.A Roy Rosario, founder of People’s Voice, Pattabiram, said most buses operating towards Tirupati via Tiruvallur and Tiruttani use the route. “There is no roundabout near the flyover, which is another reason for congestion. In an RTI response received earlier, the highways department stated that a roundabout would be provided after land acquisition. However, in a later RTI response, the department said no funds had been allocated as the roundabout was not part of the project,” he said.He added that motorists are currently forced to travel nearly 2km on the flyover before taking a U-turn due to the lack of a roundabout. He also alleged that a portion of the flyover falls under the Railways and that the pending works have not yet been inspected.M Sarath Kumar, a resident of Thandurai, said promises to widen service roads along the bridge have not materialised despite repeated inspections by officials. “Land acquisition has been completed, but the work has not started. The 22-km stretch from Padi to Thiruninravur continues to face encroachments and poor road conditions,” he said.Railway officials said no complaints had been received regarding the ROB but added that necessary action would be taken to inspect the site and facilitate completion of the pending works. Highways department officials were unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
