Port-Maduravoyal expressway work may resume in January

Now, senior officials in charge of the project told DT Next, the DPR for the elevated corridor, which would have changed in the alignment after factoring in the objections and suggestions from the State government. 

“We have exercised extra caution while preparing the report. We will start the bidding process and hand over the contract to a potential promoter. This time, we have factored in all the possibilities to ensure that the project is not delayed any further,” said project director G Athipathi.

The 19-km long elevated expressway, which was envisaged to reduce congestion along the route to Chennai Port by providing a thoroughfare to take trailers and trucks till outside city limits, was originally planned to be commissioned under a Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) model. Now, a new revenue model would be worked out soon. 

Although an exact date of resumption of the project is yet to be finalised, official sources said it was expected to commence by January 2019. “We will complete the project soon as there are no major changes in the blueprint,” added a senior official.

The work had started in 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore. However, it was stalled following objections raised by the Tamil Nadu government in 2011, citing lack of environmental clearance as pillars passed through the Cooum river. Then the NHAI had proposed a new alignment after obtaining inputs from the State. However, the project, foundation stone for which was laid by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 11 years ago, never took off since then.

The proposed expressway will have exit ramps from Kamarajar Road, Spurtank Road and Koyambedu, and will have entry ramps from Sivananda Road, College Road and Koyambedu.