Port-Maduravoyal flyover construction to start in a month: Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari expressed that works of all National Highway projects are progressing well and land acquisition has been completed
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CHENNAI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that the construction of Chennai Port to Maduravoyal elevated corridor, a part of which will be double decker, will commence within a month.
After reviewing the projects undertaken by the Ministry in Tamil Nadu, on Thursday, Nitin Gadkari expressed that works of all National Highway projects are progressing well and land acquisition has been completed.
Meanwhile, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) sources said that a contractor has been finalised to construct the flyover but work order is yet to be handed over as the contractor has not submitted bank guarantee. "Once the guarantee is submitted, work will commence, " a source said.
It may be noted that the bids were first floated in July, 2022 but the process was delayed to repeated postponements. But the bids were opened only in April.
The project was earlier proposed to be implemented at Rs. 3,204 Crore but was later revised to Rs. 5,721.33 Crore as the elevated corridor has been redesigned to have two levels (double decker).
The total length of the corridor is 20.565 kilometres and a part of the corridor (between Chennai Port and Koyambedu) will be double decker so that heavy vehicles towards the Port could use the upper corridor. There will be no ramps on the upper corridor to allow local vehicles to enter or exit.
Earlier, entry and exit ramps were proposed only at the Port and the end of the corridor. As many as 13 ramps will provide entry and exit to the lower deck of the corridor. The corridor will start within the premises of Chennai Port and continues along the Bank of Cooum River until Koyambedu.
Beyond Koyambedu, the alignment follows along the centreline of existing NH-4 up to Maduravoyal. The corridor will pass through Chintadripet, Egmore, Aminjikarai, Nungambakkam, and Arumbakkam.
It may be noted that the government has already acquired required land for the construction of the flyover and an environmental clearance has been issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Gadkari also assured that Chennai -Bengaluru Expressway will come into operation in January and the travel time between cities will be reduced to 7 hours.