Motorists using the Vanagaram-Ambattur Road may no longer have to endure traffic congestion or battle for space with heavy vehicles particularly during rush hour as the State Highways Department is set to complete the road widening project next month.
The road is a vital link between Poonamallee High Road (NH4) and Chennai Tiruvallur Road (NH 205) and used by hundreds of residents of many localities along the CTH Road and by heavy vehicles from Tiruvallur.
Officials of the Highways Department said the road is 6.2 km long and a stretch of 4.5 km has been widened so far. The two-lane road is being widened from 7 metre to 9 metre without land acquisition at a cost of Rs.4.6 crore. The remaining stretch of the road would be widened next month. On an average, about 30,000 passenger car units use the road during rush hours.
Residents said heavy vehicles from south Chennai use the road to reach Gummidipoondi or Tiruvallur. Traffic on the road has increased after trucks were diverted on it to facilitate implementation of Chennai Bypass Road project. The residents also demanded more streetlights on the road.
Uma Kannan, ward 32 councillor of Ambattur Municipality, said the fast development in the local bodies along the Vanagaram Ambattur Road has also made the road an important link.
The Vanagaram Ambattur Road serve as a short cut for many residents, who otherwise have to travel nearly 10 km on CTH Road and Inner Ring Road, to reach Maduravoyal. Accidents were common on the road following increase in the traffic. The Ambattur Red Hills Road must also be widened, she said.
Officials of Highways Department said estimates are being prepared to develop Poonamallee Avadi Road into a six lane facility. The project would be taken up on the 8 km stretch at a cost of Rs.32 crore, which would include land acquisition cost. Nearly 50,000 passenger car units use the road daily.
The department also proposes to widen Ambattur Red Hills Road, which is used by lorries bound for Andhra Pradesh, into a six-lane facility.
