More than half the work under Phase II of Chennai Outer Ring Road (ORR) from Nemilichery to Minjur, at a cost of Rs. 1,400 crore, has been completed. The work on this phase, which is part of a 62-km semi-circular corridor connecting Vandalur in Kancheepuram district with Minjur in Tiruvallur district, began last year.
Officials of the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company, the managing associate for the project, said 82 box culverts, 23 pedestrian and vehicle underpasses had been completed. “The underpasses will be used by residents and four of them are under construction,” they said.
Work on a flyover at Attanthangal village and a bridge at Minjur is progressing well. “Since land is available for the entire 30.50-km road, construction is on a fast pace,” a source said. The second phase of the road passes through Mittanamalee, Vellanur, Attanthangal, Padiyanallur, Kandigai and Arumandai among other villages.
The road, which takes off from where Phase I from Vandalur to Nemilichery ends, is being laid on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis. On completion, the road is expected to help decongest Chennai city and it is estimated that at least 30 per cent of vehicles entering the city will use this road.
This road will also help in the growth of north Chennai and Tiruvallur district. “We are expecting that it will bring in industrial development and jobs to people. Roads leading from the ORR should also be developed alongside so that there is improved connectivity for neighbouring residential localities,” said Selvam of Minjur.
Land prices along the proposed road have already been increasing, say real estate agents. “Whenever a new road is laid, property prices soar — OMR [Rajiv Gandhi Salai] and ECR are examples,” a former city planner said.
