Commuters want GCC to fix uneven patches on IIT-M flyover

Uneven patches on the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) flyover posed a safety risk and impacted aesthetics, said commuters, urging the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to level the surface to prevent accidents and improve road quality.

In a post on X, a Chennai resident claimed these patches could cause accidents. B.Veni Ashok, who regularly takes the route, said there were two such spots on the flyover, on the slope from Cancer Institute to Gandhi Mandapam. “This is dangerous for motorists, since the vehicle is faster when moving on a downward slope. The GCC must consider redoing the entire road,” he added.

An official in the Bridges Department of the Greater Chennai Corporation said: “The weathering coat in the riding surface, i.e., a 7 cm concrete surface below the road, wears out often. Patchwork is being done regularly. The contractor partnered for maintenance will be informed to check and rectify the potholes with cold bitumen mix.”

A permanent solution can be arrived at only if traffic flow is stopped on the flyover for a day, the official said. “The work involves removing the existing surface and laying a new bituminous concrete surface. This takes at least a day to dry. If the traffic police can coordinate with us, this can be done, but they say that it is not easy,” he added.