NHAI to relay damaged Chennai-Ennore Port connectivity road

CHENNAI: Motorists using the Chennai-Ennore Port connectivity road could heave a sigh of relief with the NHAI proposing to take up much needed relaying of the battered at a cost of Rs 71 crore.

A stretch of 29 km comprising Ennore Expressway, Inner Ring Road, Manali Oil Refinery Road and Thiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road are part of the Chennai Ennore Port connectivity project. But, motorists have been complaining of a battered road surface despite the collection of toll from road users.

Residents of the adjoining areas including Manali, Sathyamurthy Nagar, Manali New Town and Madhavaram have been sore over the condition of the road which was left uncared for the past few years. Despite being a toll road, the NHAI has left the road unattended for years together.

Expressing concern over the condition of the various stretches of the toll road, K Radhakrishnan, a cab driver at Madhavaram, points out that motorists travelling at high speed on the highways are often caught off-guard by the bad condition of the stretches.

The stretch of Inner Ring Road near Mathur Toll Plaza and MFL junction-Sathyamurthy Nagar on Ennore Expressway are full of potholes and motorists suffer severe jolts. The bad condition of the stretches pose a severe threat to road users, particularly two-wheelers, and could lead to accidents, ” he said.

A senior official of NHAI said that the bids have been floated for resurfacing and restoration of the 29.135 km stretches of the four highways at a cost of Rs 71.24 crore. "The work contract will be awarded soon, " the official said.