The state has completed the final 250-metre arm of the Perungalathur Road Over Bridge (ROB), towards Tambaram’s Eastern Bypass on Gandhi Road, and will open it to traffic on Friday, September 25. The 15-metre-wide, bidirectional four-lane arm is the ROB’s sixth and final arm; its completion was delayed nearly two years by a 33/11 kV substation on the alignment. State Highways paid Tangedco ₹32 crore four months ago to shift the substation and acquired the land. Motorists from Tambaram, Mappedu, Thiruvanchery and nearby areas can use the ROB towards Vandalur and Chengalpattu, bypassing GST Road; it also links to eastern Tambaram.

On Gandhi Road, nearly 1 km from the ROB, a six-lane stretch narrows to two lanes for about 750 metres through reserve forest. A proposal to provide alternative land for widening has been approved by the Chengalpattu collector. Widening to six lanes would connect motorists directly to Mappedu and Selaiyur.

The ROB replaced Level Crossing Gate 32 between Tambaram and Vandalur railway stations near Perungalathur. Construction began in 2019 at a cost of ₹235 crore. Its first two arms opened in September 2022, an arm towards New Perungalathur on SR Road in June 2023, and two arms connecting Tambaram towards Vandalur in August 2024. Activist Dayanand Krishnan said the ROB improves access to Chitlapakkam and Rajakilpakkam, but Camp Road junction remains congested at peak hours.

Tamil Nadu has allocated ₹12.8 crore to revive the eight-lane expansion of GST Road. The project will widen a 1.5-km stretch beneath the Perungalathur flyover; a completion timeline was not specified.

Chennai's rental market is shifting to suburbs due to Metro expansion, growing IT employment hubs, and upgraded transport infrastructure. Average rental growth across Chennai was 8% year-on-year.

Localities with highest rent appreciation:

• Iyyappanthangal: 21.7%
• Koyambedu: 20.3%
• West Tambaram: 19.1%
• Medavakkam: 18.5%
• Thoraipakkam: 18%
• Ramapuram: 15.3%

Rent drivers: Chennai Metro expansion along corridors including Iyyappanthangal, Ramapuram, and Koyambedu; IT and Global Capability Centre expansion on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) corridor (Thoraipakkam, Perungudi, Sholinganallur); Kilambakkam Bus Terminus opening transforming GST Road corridor (Pallavaram, Perungalathur, Tambaram belt).

Affordability: Average monthly rent in Tambaram is Rs 15,073, approximately 30% lower than Porur (Rs 19,753). Young professionals and corporate employees migrating to suburbs for larger homes at lower rents.

Tenant preferences: 59% prefer apartments in gated communities or complexes (up from 42% in 2020). Demand for fully furnished homes increased 49% since 2023; fully furnished homes attract 1.4 times more tenant demand than semi-furnished properties. Demand for unfurnished properties declining.

Property experts expect strong rental appreciation ahead in KK Nagar, Tambaram, Maduravoyal, Adyar, and Valasaravakkam.

• NHAI plans an 18.4-km, six-lane elevated corridor from Kilambakkam bus terminus (KCBT) to Chettipunniyam near Mahindra City junction, using pillars in GST Road’s central median. Three locations will have entry and exit ramps. The estimated cost is ₹3,200 crore.
• A 30-km Tambaram–Chengalpattu elevated road proposed by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry in 2018 was scaled down because of feasibility, traffic and alignment issues. NHAI finalised the detailed project report months ago but has not invited tenders; the Airport–KCBT metro line’s ramps must be integrated. Tamil Nadu approved the metro extension last week.
• In 2024, NHAI widened 18.5 km of GST Road from Vandalur to Chettipunniyam from four to eight lanes. The road is 35–45 metres wide and carries over 75,000 passenger cars daily. One lane on each side will be used during corridor construction, leaving six lanes for traffic.
• NHAI is also widening 2.4 km of GST Road between Tambaram road overbridge and Perungalathur from four to eight lanes. The overbridge widening is complete; work on the adjoining stretch toward Chennai Bypass/Tambaram was expected to finish within a month. At Irumbuliyur junction, the road narrows from 35 metres to 11 metres.
• Festival congestion can stretch 3–4 km in both directions. On the weekend before Onam, Tambaram to Chengalpattu took nearly 70 minutes.

• Localities around Vandalur are seeing rapid real estate growth, with Mannivakkam highlighted as a key beneficiary.
• Mannivakkam has direct access to GST Road, Outer Ring Road (ORR), Chennai Bypass Road and the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Link Road.
• It also has access to air, rail and road transport.
• Vandalur has the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus, one of South India's largest transit hubs.
• An upcoming metro line to Kilambakkam is expected to improve access to Chennai's central business districts and IT corridors.
• Mannivakkam has smooth access to ORR and the Oragadam-Vandalur Corridor, supporting travel to Bengaluru and other employment and industrial hubs.
• The locality is near Perungalathur, Shriram Gateway IT SEZ, Accenture, Capgemini, Infosys, MEPZ in Tambaram and the Oragadam Industrial Belt.
• The Oragadam Industrial Belt includes Renault-Nissan and Apollo Tyres.
• New IT parks are planned in Vandalur, Mannivakkam and Malayambakkam along ORR.
• Nearby established IT hubs include ZOHO, Accenture and Capgemini near Perungalathur.
• The area is described as offering cost-effective housing with appreciation potential, including residential plots, plotted communities, apartments and villas.
• The locality is also near Arignar Anna Zoological Park and reputed schools, colleges, hospitals and shopping centres.