TRICHY: After a huge outcry from the public demanding commissioning of two completed arms of Trichy Junction road overbridge (RoB), its Madurai arm and the Central Bus Stand arm were opened for traffic on Monday. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami opened them for traffic through video conferencing from Chennai.With six arms – Chennai arm, Madurai arm, Railway Junction arm, Central Bus Stand arm, a stretch connecting RoB with high-level rotary and Dindigul arm, the Trichy Junction RoB was proposed by state highways department in 2006. The Rs 81.40crore project was meant to reduce the traffic woes prevailing in the city. Vehicles heading to other districts can bypass parts of city using the RoB.The project has been facing hurdles due to the stalemates among state highways, railways and defence over transfer of land.Addressing the shortcomings, except for the Chennai arm, works on all other arms including Madurai and Central Bus Stand arms were completed about two months ago.Paying heeds to the demand of the residents, two completed arms of the RoB were opened for traffic on Monday.“Upward movement will be permitted only in the Madurai arm for now while all other arms would witness downward movement of vehicles,” a senior official with city traffic police said.The Chennai arm connecting the RoB with Chennai-Madurai National Highway has been kept pending due to non-availability of defence land. Highways department officials have been communicating with the defence ministry to secure the required land for completing the entire project at the earliest.As public were rejoicing the opening of the flyover, AIADMK party flags were seen decorating the two new arms opened on Monday. Though the flags were placed without disrupting the bridge and vehicular traffic, people questioned the need for placing flags on a bridge built with tax payers’ money.

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