In Chennai, a road stretch that should take just five minutes to cross now takes at least 20 minutes during peak hours, causing frustration among motorists. The 1.15-km-long Koyambedu flyover, which was built to reduce traffic congestion at one of the city’s busiest transport hubs, has failed to solve the problem even four years after its opening.
The flyover, which cost ₹93.5 crore and is the second longest in Chennai, was expected to make travel smoother and faster. However, instead of easing traffic, it has become a major inconvenience for daily commuters.
During most evenings, long lines of vehicles are seen piled up on the flyover, especially from SAF Games Village to the Koyambedu grade separator. The heavy traffic slows down movement and often brings vehicles to a near standstill.
Commuters say that poor traffic planning and bottlenecks at the entry and exit points have made the flyover ineffective. As a result, the purpose of building the flyover—to reduce congestion—has not been achieved.
Many road users are now urging authorities to review the traffic design and take corrective steps so that the flyover can serve its intended purpose and ease congestion at Koyambedu.