NHAI to begin road widening by August

Officials said the NHAI faced various hurdles even though the construction began four years ago. The proposal is that the 62-km stretch will be converted into six-lanes from four lanes at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore. The main project will include 20 underpasses on the stretch. 

As per the schedule, the work should have begun in January 2018, but the officials could not take up the same due to various issues. A senior NHAI official said that they completed around 95 per cent of the work and they had communicated the same to the Union Ministry. 

“We have already floated a tender and works are expected to take off by August end. If the estimated cost is not enough, we will seek prescribed funds from the Union Ministry,” said the official, adding that they had already sent another proposal to take up six-lane work from Poonamallee to Sriperumbudur and they were awaiting approval. Meanwhile, motorists traveling from Chennai to Bengaluru complained that the stretch had become bumpy and patchy. 

“However, the NHAI has set up a toll plaza in Sriperumbudur. Let the NHAI complete the work and then collect the toll. The entire stretch is not motorable,” said M Venkat, who often travels to Hosur from Chennai. A senior NHAI official, on conditions of anonymity, said, “The land acquisition will be complete soon and the widening works will be taken up after that.”