As many as 172 roads in the new areas of Chennai Corporation will be taken up for integrated redevelopment. Stormwater drains, pavements, streetlights and ducts for electrical cables would be provided besides re-laying of the roads under the project.
The new initiative would cover 112 km of roads in the Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones of the civic body.
Officials of the Corporation on Wednesday began survey of roads to identify problems pertaining to inundation, overhead electrical cables, streetlights and pedestrian facilities. The data would be compiled in a few days and the report filed next week. The data would be used for taking decisions on the dimensions of roads, camber, stormwater drains and number of streetlights.
However, none of the 172 roads would be widened as part of the project. Some of the roads identified have a width of less than 40 feet. But, the Corporation has planned to construct stormwater drains even on such narrow roads to prevent inundation next monsoon.
Most of the roads to be covered under the project serve as crucial links between various zones of the city. The alignment, dimension and shape of the drains or footpaths would be designed in such a way that it does not reduce the existing width of the roads. The roads include Nolambur-Mogappair Main Road, Erikarai Salai, MMDA First Main Road, Kosappur-Vadaperumbakkam Road, Puzhal Gandhi Main Road, Madanankuppam Main Road and Metukuppam Road.
The civic body had already commenced re-laying of 121 bus routes, totalling 80 km, at a cost of Rs.51.7 crore in the city limits. The work, as part of which plastic waste is being mixed with bitumen, was proposed to be completed in three months. Shredded plastic waste would form at least 8 per cent of the weight of the binder used for re-laying of the roads.
