Motorists taking the Chennai Bypass, particularly between Maduravoyal and Tambaram and the residents’ associations in areas along the stretch complain about lack of street lights for many years now.
The 32-km long Chennai Bypass connects Tambaram with Kolkata Highway at Red Hills.
Members of the Federation of Maduravoyal Residents’ Welfare Associations complained that the road lacked street lights despite many representations. Its secretary C. Thirumal Adimai said several residents from localities abutting the road such as Nolambur, Porur and Maduravoyal too used the road.
Though the project was completed about a decade ago, the arterial road remains dark making it risky to drive at night. The service lane in Porur remained incomplete and had been turned into garbage dump, he alleged.
Toll collection
S. Yuvaraj, president, Aminjikarai Lorry Owners’ Welfare Association, said the authorities must scrap toll collection in Vanagaram plaza on National Highway No. 32. It does not have basic amenities such as an ambulance or drinking water facilities.
Citing the response of the National Highways Authority of India to an RTI petition, he said the expenditure for Chennai Bypass Phase I and II was ₹1,546.62 crore till June 2021. The authorities said last year that the provision for the lighting facility was included in the project estimate for developing it as a model stretch and approval was awaited.
However, the stretch of Chennai Bypass is yet to get streetlights. “We are planning a protest along with the residents’ federation in early August to emphasise on street lights,” he said.
Officials of the NHAI said an estimate for the ₹23-crore project has been approved and tenders would be called for by this month-end to provide a total of 2,133 street lights on Chennai Bypass.
