Chennai: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will resume the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway and the project cost has been revised to Rs 2,400 crore from Rs 1,815 crore. Authorities have confirmed that the existing pillars constructed at Koyambedu would be used for the project.
NHAI has prepared a new revised detailed project report (DPR) for the elevated expressway. Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan confirmed the same and there had been many reports in news regarding the details of the project that was stalled by the erstwhile J Jayalalithaa government, citing environmental violations.
In the latest development, the project’s executing agency, NHAI is gearing to resume work on the 19-km expressway soon and authorities have confirmed that they would use the existing completed pillars after inspecting their structural strength and safety.
Sources in NHAI said, “There is no significant change in the alignment of the road. We are sticking to the original plan. Land acquisition for the project has been initiated and authorities are in the process of floating a new tender for the revised programme.”
Authorities confirmed that the twin pillars constructed for nearly five km at Koyambedu and on the Cooum River banks in Chetpet would be used. “An expert team would inspect the pillars to check the structural stability and ageing factor. Recommendations of the State government will also be taken into account,” officials said.
The Maduravoyal-Port expressway project was started in September 2010, but it was stalled in 2011 by the Jayalalithaa government stating that the construction of pillars on the Cooum river would have an adverse impact on the environment and would also result in flooding during monsoon.
Nearly 14 km of the 19 km elevated expressway runs along the Cooum. The corridor once completed is expected to de-congest traffic in Ambattur Estate Road and Ponamallee High Road.