According to Minister E.V. Velu, one of the two tiers of the corridor would have six exit and seven entry points, while the other would directly link the Chennai Port with Maduravoyal.
| Photo Credit: B. VEALNKANNI RAJ
Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports E.V. Velu on Wednesday told the Tamil Nadu Assembly that review meetings were periodically held to track the progress of the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor project, and measures were being taken to expedite the work.
He was replying to Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi general secretary and Tiruchengode MLA E.R. Eswaran, who moved a calling attention motion to speed up the project.
Mr. Eswaran pointed out that the project was conceptualised 16 years ago when DMK MP T.R. Baalu was the Union Minister for Highways. The project, he said, was crucial for the economic development of Tamil Nadu and urged the State government to expedite it.
The legislator further demanded that the corridor, once built, be named after former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
In his response, Mr. Velu said that the project was being implemented by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme, and involved constructing a new two-tier and a four-lane elevated corridor under the engineering procurement construction mode. The contract agreement was signed on September 11, 2023, and work order was issued on November 23, 2023.
According to the contract agreement, the work was scheduled to be completed by February 2027. However, owing to various issues raised by the Water Resources Department, the work on the road section was handed over only on May 30, 2024. Additionally, due to the monsoon between mid-September and December in 2024, the work could not proceed in accordance with the order of the National Green Tribunal, as the proposed corridor passed through the Cooum for nearly 15 km. As a result, the project had been delayed, he said, adding that the NHAI had indicated that there would be further delays.
According to the NHAI, the project consisted of four packages. A total of 5,296 piles were to be installed – of which 812 had been completed. Additionally, of 882 pile caps, 41 have been installed. Components for the super structure were being separately prepared at two casting yards. A total of 9,415 units were required, the Minister added.
He further said that one of the two tiers of the corridor would have six exits and seven entry points, while the other would directly link the Chennai Port with Maduravoyal.
Published – April 02, 2025 10:32 pm IST
