Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor to be ready in three years

‘Taken up under the PM Gati Shakti, it will be a seamless logistics corridor’

Sunil Paliwal

The Chennai Port to Maduravoyal elevated corridor will be a reality and would help in decongesting the heavy traffic congestion and would be a lifeline for the port, said Sunil Paliwal, Chairman, Chennai Port Authority.

Participating in a conference on PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity, organised by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Wednesday, he said the two-tier elevated corridor designed to have two lanes in each tier was executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The PM Gati Shakti initiative will help create seamless logistics corridor.

Sharing details of various projects executed in the Chennai Port and Kamarajar Port, Mr. Paliwal said the PM Gati Shakti, which brings 16 Union Government Ministries and the State government together for integrated planning and speedier implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.

He said Chennai Port would be commercially viable at least for a few more decades and a long-term mission of executing development works were proposed to be executed. Along with the elevated corridor project, six development works would be carried out within the port, including construction of bunker berth, development of goods shed, creating a buffer parking yard, direct reception entry, electrification of railway lines and the landmark construction of multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) at Mappedu in Tiruvallur district. 

Mr. Paliwal, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Kamarajar Port Ltd., said infrastructure development of construction of common user marine liquid terminal, container terminal of Phase 1 (Stage 2), IOCL captive jetty, RO-RO (Roll on/Roll off) cum general cargo berth and dredging operation in the port would be taken up.

38 mega projects

S.P. Somashekar, Regional Officer (Chennai), NHAI, said 38 mega projects for more than 1,500 km worth ₹40,000 crore were under implementation in the State with seven more projects in the pipeline.

Making a video presentation of the restarting of the stalled Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor, he said the facility would be a reality within three years. The other big projects being executed by the NHAI include the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway, elevated corridor between Maduravoyal and Sriperumbudur, trumpet flyover project at Irungattukottai (detailed project report has been finalised and tender to be awarded shortly), the Madurai Ring Road and the Chennai-Salem Expressway. 

Mr. Somashekar said the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway would be executed in three phases under 10 packages with work set to begin by May end. The highlight of the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway would be the creation of 12 interchange points for smooth entry and exit of heavy vehicles without affecting the main traffic. 

S. Krishnan, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries Department, said the PM Gati Shakti initiative would pave the way for bringing all the stakeholders of the Union and State governments on one platform. The development of a second airport for Chennai was finalised with the stakeholders involved in the talks with the State government, he said.