OMR residents urge Stalin to close Navalur toll plaza

CHENNAI: Irked by higher toll and bad road, the residents of OMR (Old Mahabalipuram Road) urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to close down a toll plaza in Navalur which is just one kilometer from Chennai Corporation limits.

Harsha Koda, co-founder of Federation of OMR Resident Associations, said in his petition that with the Metro construction progressing in the southern half of OMR between Sholinganallur and Navalur, the road has been reduced to just 2 lanes on each side, causing massive traffic jams and inconvenience to residents. The toll continues to be collected despite the reduced road width. The 6-lane OMR becomes a 4-lane road but TNRDC (Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation) continues to charge the full rate.

"By collecting Rs. 33 (car) for a road of just 7 km (from Navalur to Sholiganallur), OMR is the second most expensive toll road in India - at the rate of almost Rs. 5 per km. Sadly the citizens are paying this huge rate for a road that has barricades, bad road quality, absence of streetlights and blinding construction lights from CMRL worksites," he said.

While pointing out 4 of 5 toll plazas have already closed in OMR, the petition recalled a statement made by Highways Minister EV Velu, who said there is a sub-section in the NHAI rules which states that there should not be any toll plaza within 10km of municipalities and corporations, but the toll plazas in Chennasamudram, Nemili, Vanagaram, Surapattu and Paranur exist in violation of this norm.

TNRDC's Navalur Toll Plaza is a mere 1 km from the Greater Chennai Corporation limits, the petition said.

The Federation urged the chief minister to lead by example by closing state-run (TNRDC) toll plaza in Navalur.