The under construction bridge on ECR Link Road in Chennai will be thrown open for traffic by May-end. With this, residents of southern parts of the city may soon have a hassle-free ride on ECR Link Road, which connects Rajiv Gandhi Salai with East Coast Road. The ECR Link Road is vital as it connects traffic between Sholinganallur and Akkarai.

The construction of the bridge is part of a major project taken up to improve south Buckingham canal under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. One portion of the bridge meant for traffic from Sholinganallur to Akkarai was opened recently.

As construction of a separate carriageway is underway for incoming traffic from Akkarai to Sholinganallur, traffic proceeding to both Rajiv Gandhi Salai and ECR are being allowed on the same bridge. The existing 40-metre-long and 8-metre-wide bridge across the canal was widened to a 100-metre-long and 19-metre-wide facility.

The Water Resources Department has undertaken the project worth a total of Rs.78 crore. Each of the carriageways will have two lanes. Residents of Sholinganallur and Karapakkam said that the authorities concerned must complete the project at the earlier. Work ont he bridge was started nearly two years ago, they added.