Anna Flyover

Anna Flyover, also known as Gemini Flyover, is a dual-armed grade separator in the central business district of Chennai, India. Built in 1973, it is the first flyover in Chennai[1][2] and the third in India. It was the longest flyover in the country at its completion.[3] It allows traffic movements on Anna Salai (formerly Mount Road) to cross traffic with grade separation. The area and the flyover is named after the now-demolished Gemini Studios.

Anna Flyover
Anna flyover
Location
Chennai, India
Coordinates13.05238°N 80.25104°E / 13.05238; 80.25104
Roads at
junction		Mount Road
Nungambakkam High Road
Cathedral Road
Construction
TypeFlyover
Lanes2
Constructed1973 by East Coast Construction and Industries
Opened1973 (1973)
Maximum
height		4.3 metres (14 ft)
Maximum
width		20 metres (66 ft)

On two sides of the circle roundabout below the centre of the flyover are two identical statues that commemorate the banning of horse racing in Tamil Nadu.

History and design

Anna flyover was constructed in 1973 by East Coast Construction and Industries in 21 months at a cost of ₹ 6.6 million and was opened to traffic on 1 July 1973. The architects of the flyover had made provision for its extension, if necessary, on either side. Its design has remained nearly identical since the 1970s.[3] The flyover is 500 m long.[4]

Landmarks
Equestrian statue on the Nungambakkam side of Anna flyover

This Equestrian horse statue was sculpted by the M. N. Jayaram Nagappa son of sculptor Rao Bahadur M. S. Nagappa and brother of M. N. Mani Nagappa, who is also a sculptor.

Notable landmarks abutting the Anna Flyover include the old Safire Theatre complex, the Oxford University Press and the U.S. Consulate.

Gemini studio has been demolished and a shopping complex called Parson Manor and a 5-star deluxe hotel called The Park have been built in its place. Opposite to these across the flyover lies the Semmoli Poonga, the 20-acre, ₹ 80-million botanical garden constructed by the horticultural department.

Traffic

In the 1970s, over 9,000 vehicles crossed the junction during peak hour. By the 2010s, the stretch between Parry's Corner and Nandanam was used by over 16,000 vehicles during rush hour. Anna Salai is used by over 0.183 million vehicles every day.[3]

An average of 20,000 vehicles per hour pass through the intersection beneath the flyover.[2]

Developments

The government had plans to lease out the area under the flyover to a restaurant, a shopping centre, godowns and a parking lot, and for advertising.[3]

A preliminary study by Chennai City Connect, an NGO working on improving traffic and transport conditions in Chennai, found that the Gemini Circle intersection costs the city ₹ 270,000 a day in petrol, human capital and ecological loss.[2][5] There are plans to build a flyover on top of the existing flyover.[2] A short-term plan at a cost of ₹ 9 million has also been planned.[6]

Anna Flyover is now maintained by Aircel Cellular as a part of corporate social responsibility, which has implemented LED lighting accentuating the parapets of the flyover. LED lighting to beautify a public structure has been implemented for the first time in India by city-based Abra Media Networks; TNRIDC, a division of Highways, has awarded the contract to Aircel starting from July 2010.

Accidents and incidents

In January 1998, a small bomb was detonated under the flyover near the American consulate building.[7]

On 27 June 2012, over 40 people were injured when a Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus overturned while negotiating a curve and fell from the flyover[8] from a height of 20 ft.[9]

See also

References
  1. "History of Chennai". ChennaiBest.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  2. Sreevatsan, Ajai (19 July 2010). "Junction beneath flyover set for change". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  3. Ramakrishnan, Deepa H. (1 July 2012). "Flyover wall mended after 3 days". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  4. "புதிய வர்ணம் பூசி அண்ணா மேம்பாலம் அழகுபடுத்தப்படுகிறது: நெடுஞ்சாலைத்துறை ஏற்பாடு". Maalaimalar (in Tamil). Chennai. 21 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  5. Robinson, Daniel (17 May 2010). "Ever realise this about Anna Flyover?". Chennai City Connect. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. Hemalatha, Karthikeyan (7 September 2011). "Gemini Junction may be redesigned to redirect traffic". The Times of India. Chennai. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  7. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) (5 April 2012). "India 2012 OSAC Crime and Safety Report: Chennai". U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  8. "Over 30 injured as bus falls off flyover in Chennai". The Times of India. 27 June 2012. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  9. "Driver of bus that fell off Anna flyover dismissed by MTC". The Times of India. Chennai. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
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