Better connectivity between the western suburbs and the city may soon become reality.
To widen Chennai-Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road and enable faster commute, the highways department began an anti-encroachments drive at Padi on Thursday.
Parts of nearly 175 structures that were encroaching on the highways department’s boundary, between Padi and Ambattur telephone exchange, were removed. Six earthmovers were used.
Of the 22 km between Padi and Thirunindravur, encroachments along 4 km have been cleared so far. On Friday, some structures were entirely removed. The stretch is dotted with commercial structures and hospitals.
According to a highways department official, nearly 700 encroachments will be cleared in five days. Electricity posts and streetlights too will be removed.
The move has brought much cheer to residents of the neighbourhood. The narrow and potholed CTH Road is the only link to the city for many residential areas in Padi.
Tenders will be floated in a few days to develop the stretch into a four-lane facility at a cost of Rs. 98 crore. Work will begin in November and be completed in 18 months.
“The road will be widened from the existing seven metres to at least 10 metres, or up to 18 metres, depending on the space available,” said the official.
The project will also include provision for medians. The road will be developed into a six-lane facility in the second phase of the project and it will include additional facilities such as footpaths and stormwater drains.
