Anna Flyover

Anna Flyover (Tamil: அண்ணா மேம்பாலம்), lies in the heart of Chennai, India. Built by East Coast Construction and Industries in 1973, it was the first flyover in the country and in Chennai.^[1] Its main purpose is to allow traffic movement on Mount Road — now renamed Anna Salai — near Nungambakkam High Road (Uthamar Gandhi Salai) to continue unhindered by the cross traffic.

On two sides of the circle roundabout below the centre of the flyover are two identical statues of a man controlling a horse placed there to commemorate the banning of horse racing.

Anna Flyover has been beautified with other elements such as water fountains, landscaping of its 24,000 square feet (2,200 m²) traffic islands, cove lighting under the traffic movement area, restoration of the horse statue, a toilet for the police personnel, murals depicting social messages, etc.

Before climbing Anna Flyover (when heading in the direction towards the airport) to the left are the Oxford University Press and the United States Consulate, and to the right one can find the remains of the old Safire Theatre complex.

Gemini studio has been demolished and a shopping complex called Parson Manor and a 5-star deluxe hotel called The Park have sprung up in its place. Opposite to these across the flyover lies the Semmozhi Poonga, the 20-acre, 80-million botanical garden constructed by the horticultural department.

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