The Chennai Corporation will soon lay more link roads to connect MRTS stations.
The preparation of estimates for some stretches is underway and those for a few others such as the 18-metre-wide link between Velachery and Taramani stations will be readied after existing challenges pertaining to road width are addressed.
The work is expected to improve usage of MRTS by improving connectivity. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, at a recent meeting, reiterated the need for implementation of work on 18-metre-wide roads connecting stations such as Kasturba Nagar, Indira Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur, Velachery and Taramani.
The work has been delayed even after eviction of encroachments on the eastern side of the stretch from Kasturba Nagar to Tiruvanmiyur, a few years ago, by the CMDA and Railways.
Commuters are forced to take a circuitous route through Rajiv Gandhi Salai to reach the stations and this further chokes the road.
Traffic planners point to the dense residential development between Kasturba Nagar and Tiruvanmiyur for stressing on speedy completion of the link roads.
Each of the 18-metre-wide link roads connecting two stations will be around one kilometre long on the stretch between Kasturba Nagar and Tiruvanmiyur. Heavy duty slabs will be installed on the canal to avoid reduction in width of link roads, said a traffic planner.
The first phase on MRTS covering a distance of about 9 km (Chennai Beach to Mylapore) was finished in 1997 at a cost of Rs. 269 crore.
The second phase (Mylapore to Velachery) was completed in 2007, and coveres 11 km. The line between Velachery and St. Thomas Mount is under construction.
