Expressway project revival to be expedited

NHAI will soon call for fresh bids to resume work under revised alignment

February 26, 2020 01:15 am | Updated 01:15 am IST - CHENNAI

Long wait: The elevated corridor will connect the Chennai Port to Maduravoyal.

Long wait: The elevated corridor will connect the Chennai Port to Maduravoyal.

Following identification of land for construction of houses for the Navy, the revival of the 20.2-km long Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway is set to be fast-tracked.

A total of 64 houses are to be constructed in the parcel that is being provided by the Chennai Port Trust.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) requires Navy land for construction of the approach ramp for the elevated corridor that will connect the Chennai Port to Maduravoyal beyond Koyambedu on the road to Bangalore.

The ramp will come up near Napier Bridge, where Gate 10 of the port is located. Entry and exit ramps will be provided at five locations — two will be near Koyambedu, one each at Maduravoyal, Spurtank Road in Chetpet, and Sivananda Salai in Chepauk.

The ₹1,815-crore project, which began in 2010, was put on hold in 2012 following certain objections over its alignment. However, the NHAI changed the alignment and fresh bids will be called soon for resuming work. About 20% of the construction has been completed.

The State government has recently taken steps to remove 1,500 of the 1,700 encroachments that were along the alignment of the project.

Land requirement

“Our major worry was the land required for the project since that was one of the reasons why it could not be completed on time. We can take up construction of the houses along with the rest of the project,” an official source in the NHAI said.

The corridor would be wider now with six lanes in place of four lanes, as planned earlier. It would also be connected to the proposed Bangalore-Chennai Expressway by a 22-km long elevated road that will run along Poonamallee High Road from Sriperumbudur.

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