Places to See in Chennai
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Blunders★ This city ★
10 public-works wonders, catalogued in Chennai, Tamil Nadu — every entry sourced from news reports, RTI replies and civic archives.
Chennai has spent no small sum on attractions of unmatched ambition. Below, ranked as filed, are the public-works entries every visitor should know about before their next trip through the city. Whichever route you take, the guide covers what to see, its current status, and roughly how much it cost the public to build.
Koyambedu Flyover Cracks and Corrosion
The 1.15km Koyambedu flyover, inaugurated by CM M K Stalin, developed multiple potholes, exposed expansion joints and jutting-out steel reinforcement bars within about four years — a hazard flagged by cyclists and commuters.
Perungalathur Flyover — 23-Year Construction Delay
First sanctioned in 2001, the flyover stayed incomplete for over two decades because an electricity board substation blocking the alignment was never relocated at the planning stage. Phase 3 only opened in June 2023, leaving roughly 200,000 residents to endure prolonged traffic chaos.
Nanganallur Under-Construction Flyover Collapse
A portion of an under-construction flyover in south Chennai collapsed on January 18, 2024. No casualties were reported, but the incident raised fresh questions about construction quality and supervision on active flyover projects.
Locked/Unusable Public Toilets (Singara Chennai 2.0)
Greater Chennai Corporation spent crores building or upgrading community toilet complexes, but numerous completed units sit permanently locked and never opened, while others suffer inadequate water supply and severe filth that render them unusable.
Manapakkam Metro Girder Collapse
On the night of June 12, 2025, a 40-foot concrete I-girder under construction for Chennai Metro Phase 2 collapsed from over 20 feet height after its supporting A-frame gave way, crushing a motorist, C. Ramesh (43), to death. It took rescue teams over five hours to retrieve his body from under the girder. Police booked contractor L&T and four of its officials under BNS Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
Tambaram (Irumbuliyur) Flyover Cave-in and Cracks
In April 2025, a section of the road surface on the 2012-built Irumbuliyur/Tambaram flyover on GST Road caved in, and a crack was simultaneously found on the flyover's railing wall near its starting point. Just 13 years after construction, the structural deterioration alarmed residents and commuters, prompting police to barricade the area and divert traffic while emergency concrete repairs were carried out.
Korattur Railway Station Subway — Years-Long Delay
An 800-metre, 30-foot-wide two-way subway with LED lighting and storm-water drains near Korattur railway station was cleared in 2010 and began construction in 2013, but remained unfinished six years later in 2019 against an expected mid-2020 completion. A local resident noted the Railways had finished their portion of the work, but the Highways Department's portion continued to lag.
Padappai Flyover — Multi-Year Delay
A 700-metre flyover at the Padappai junction, meant to relieve a stretch handling roughly 70,000 vehicles a day, was originally due in about 18 months from its 2019 start but was still only 50% complete as of February 2025 — over five years later. Peak-hour congestion at the site now stretches up to a kilometre, taking commuters roughly 25 minutes to cross, with inadequate lighting cited as a safety hazard.
Thiruvanmiyur–Uthandi ECR Elevated Corridor Suspension
A planned four-lane elevated corridor along ECR between Thiruvanmiyur and Uthandi, awarded via a Hybrid Annuity Mode concession to KNR Mahabalipuram Infra Private Limited in February 2026, was put on hold pending review by a technical committee after being conspicuously omitted from Tamil Nadu's 2026-27 Highways policy note. A rival bidder had also filed a procurement challenge in the Madras High Court.
Ganesapuram Subway — 32-Month Closure
The Ganesapuram subway, a key link for several North Chennai neighbourhoods, was closed in January 2023 for construction of a road overbridge and stayed shut for roughly 32 months before Greater Chennai Corporation announced its reopening. Residents expressed concern that new pumping arrangements to prevent monsoon flooding were only a short-term fix rather than a permanent storm-water drainage solution.
Frequently Asked
Visitor questions
What is the number one place to see in Chennai?
Our editors rank by a mix of visitor rating and sheer audacity. Scroll the list below — it's ordered as filed, oldest first.
Are these attractions safe to visit?
Define 'safe'. Daylight visits are advised. Maintain distance from open manholes, leaning structures, and anything under active repair. We accept no liability; neither does anyone else, which is rather the theme.
How much did these projects cost?
Where public figures exist, they're listed on each attraction's page, sourced from tenders, budgets and RTI replies. Several projects have no publicly disclosed final cost — that's noted too.
Can I suggest an attraction for this guide?
Chennai produces new landmarks faster than we can rank them. Submit a photo and location via the 'Submit a Blunder' button, and our desk will verify and add it.