Date:02/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/02/stories/2006060219970100.htm

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Harrington Road subway opens tomorrow

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The much-delayed Harrington Road subway will be inaugurated on Saturday.

Union Minister of Communication and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran will declare open the vehicular subway, designed to link Choolaimedu and Aminjikarai with Nungambakkam and Egmore.

Vehicles that were forced to take a detour from Aminjikarai to Chetpet and back will soon be able to reach their destinations faster.

Motorists can also avoid the slow-moving traffic on the Chetpet bridge and at the Ega theatre junction.

The subway, which is 320 metres long and 7.5 metres wide, was designed to replace the level crossing on Harrington Road. It is a joint project of the Chennai Corporation and the Railways. Although the Railways completed the rail over-bridge project nearly four years ago, there was a long delay in constructing the road under-bridge and laying the approach roads.

Fourth time lucky

The Corporation had called for the project tenders four times. Finally, when they were finalised, the cost exceeded the Government estimates. The Corporation contributed Rs.5.79 crore towards the project.

The traffic police will make arrangements to regulate vehicle movement on the subway once it becomes fully operational.