Chennai Corporation will kick start its ambitious project to upgrade roads on 30 bus routes to international standards. At a meeting on Monday, four roads – Dr.Ambedkar Salai (660 metre) in Kodambakkam, Fourth Avenue (1250 metre), First Avenue (300 metre) and 11 Avenue (1000 metre) in Ashok Nagar were shortlisted for improvement as part of the project.
Mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy directed the officials to develop all the stretches to be taken up under the project into cement concrete roads with provisions for ducting. The decision to convert the existing roads into cement concrete roads has been taken to prevent damage due to rain. According to the Corporation’s estimates, over 80 km of roads are repaired every year after the monsoon.
At another meeting to be chaired by the Mayor on Wednesday, a decision on widening the roads as part of the project is likely to be taken. TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) for properties on the roads is likely to be used more if the civic body opts for widening of the 30 roads at the meeting.
Of the 318 km of bus routes in the city, many key stretches will be upgraded to international standards with superior pedestrian facilities. The roads will also be disabled-friendly. As provision of separate ducts for cables of service providers will be an important component of the project, all the agencies have been asked to participate in Wednesday’s meeting. The civic body will ban digging of roads or shifting of cables after the infrastructure is in place. The project has received the nod of the government.
The 30 roads are likely to be models for further improvement of roads. The upgraded stretches will also ease traffic congestion, optimise vehicle speed on city roads and connect various residential and commercial localities across zones.
