In a major relief for commuters travelling along the busy Chennai–Trichy National Highway (GST Road), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has cleared an ambitious integrated flyover project aimed at eliminating traffic snarls along key junctions.The GST Road is a lifeline for thousands of daily commuters as well as travellers headed to southern districts such as Madurai, Trichy and Thanjavur. Junctions like Vandalur, Chengalpet, Urapakkam and Mamandur are notorious for logjams, especially during festival seasons, often trapping vehicles for hours.
To address this growing problem, NHAI will construct Tamil Nadu’s first-ever integrated flyover with a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facility. The project will span from Urapakkam to Mahindra World City (Chettipunniyam) and will be built at a cost of ₹3,400 crore.
After a detailed design review, the proposed width of the flyover has been enhanced from 25 metres to 29 metres to accommodate additional infrastructure. Importantly, extra lanes on either side will serve a dual purpose – managing regular traffic more smoothly and acting as dedicated BRT corridors.
To make commuting more accessible, lifts will be installed every 2 km, according to NHAI officials.
The project is also expected to significantly improve road safety. Fourteen accident-prone spots have already been identified along the stretch, and the flyover’s design will ensure seamless segregation of local and through traffic, reducing collision risks.
Once completed, the elevated corridor is expected to drastically cut travel time and bring long-awaited relief to lakhs of motorists who rely on this corridor every day.