Madurai Proposes New Bridge to Decongest South Gate–Villapuram Road.

Madurai’s South Gate–Villapuram overbridge, a crucial 300-metre link connecting the city to Madurai airport, has long been plagued by heavy traffic congestion. The State Highway Department has now proposed constructing a new parallel bridge to address the bottlenecks.

Officials said the proposed bridge will extend from South Gate Junction to Jeyavilas, while the existing road from Jeyavilas to Avaniyapuram Bypass will be widened into a four-lane corridor. Land acquisition for the project is expected to cost ₹220 crore.

The existing bridge, built in 1989, experiences severe congestion during peak hours. Cab driver S Asrif Khan said, “The only time the bridge is free from traffic is before 7am and after 11pm. Most of the time, it is congested, and overtaking cars is risky. Sometimes it takes nearly 10 minutes to cross.”

Muruganandham P, a Villapuram resident and share auto driver, said heavy traffic is common between 10am–11:30am and 7pm–8pm, and even minor vehicle breakdowns bring traffic to a standstill. “I often take a 2km longer alternate route via Jaihindpuram to reach the railway junction,” he added.

Veteran auto driver S K Lingam noted that traffic jams are frequent irrespective of peak hours, while Villapuram resident J Hakkim urged authorities to either build a new bridge or implement alternative measures to ease traffic flow. During festivals, congestion worsens, sometimes resulting in jams lasting one to two hours.

Highway officials said the existing bridge remains structurally sound, except for the railing, and does not require demolition when the new parallel bridge is constructed.

The new project is expected to significantly reduce congestion on this key city corridor, improving connectivity to the airport and easing daily commutes.