First deck slab of Anna Salai flyover placed

Marking a milestone, the Highways Department placed the first deck slab over the 3.2 km-long under-construction flyover on Anna Salai at Saidapet that is being built over the Metrorail tunnel.   

This is the first of the 132 spans that will form the flyover to run from Saidapet to Teynampet allowing motorists to cross seven junctions without having to stop for the signal. The work began on Monday night and ended by 7 a.m. “We thought it would take more time. But we finished the work on time without disrupting traffic flow. We had arranged for two concrete pouring machines in case one fails.” 

The 30-metre-long, 16.6-metre-wide, 25 cm thick deck slab will have a two-lane divided carriageway on top. A total of 15 tonnes of steel reinforcement and 352 tonnes of concrete form the composite girder, where steel and cement concrete join to provide the best of their qualities.  

Official sources said that they planned to lay one deck slab every other day. “We have already started receiving the pre-cast structures from various places. The labourers can work only between 12 midnight to 5 a.m. due to traffic. We have to take into consideration safety issues, movement of heavy machinery,  quality and also ensure work is completed on time,” explained an official source.  

Around 98% of the work to lay foundations have been completed and the steel barricades have been moved for a length of 1.5 km. “With this, we have been able to increase the available road width to 10 metres from the earlier seven metres.”