Maduravoyal-Port in Chennai project likely to rise again as six-lane corridor 

Cost of 19-km elevated highway set to exceed Rs 3,500 crore; 10 entry-exit ramps planned.
Pillars erected for the Maduravoyal-Port project at Chetpet | Martin Louis
Pillars erected for the Maduravoyal-Port project at Chetpet | Martin Louis

CHENNAI: he proposed four-lane 19-km Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project, which got stalled for the last five years, will now be a six-lane project up to the Napier Bridge and efforts are on to get the necessary clearance before launching the project.It is estimated that the project cost will mount to Rs 3,500 crore without taking into account the rehabilitation and resettlement under the new Land Acquisition Act. According to information available with Express, it will be a six-lane elevated corridor from Maduravoyal to Napier Bridge, with a deck width of 26 metres. Initially, the project was a four-lane project with a deck width of 17 metres when announced. 

Interestingly, as per the revised detailed project report, the elevated corridor will be a four-lane one from Napier Bridge to Chennai Port with minor changes in the alignment. In a bid to stall parking of vehicles on the elevated corridor, plans are being drawn up to have a parking yard at Maduravoyal, which will be developed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority so that vehicles can enter Chennai Port directly. 

The project will have 10 exit-and-entry ramps. The exit ramps are proposed at Kamarajar Salai, Spur Tank Road, and Koyambedu (before and after the grade separator) and entry ramps proposed at Sivananda Salai, College Road and Koyambedu (before and after grade separator). Due to the revised alignment, the number of piers along the river Cooum will be 685 and it won’t have any impact on the river. It is learnt that the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Madras has suggested that development of the Cooum river has to be carried out immediately after the completion of work as there won’t be hindrance to the water movement. Sources also indicated that environmental clearance is not required as the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance acquired in 2011 is valid till 2021. 

Meanwhile, in order to reduce congestion in the Koyambedu-to-Maduravoyal stretch due to mofussil buses, additional exit-and-entry ramps are suggested after the proposed grade separator for which land has to be acquired along with the main corridor at the joining point with Poonamalee Road. Not only that, the entire stretch, once operational, will cut down the timing to reach Maduravoyal. Usually, a container truck will take three hours to reach the port. Now it will take 20 to 30 minutes, save fuel and cut down on pollution.

Chennai Port sources indicated that the project would be a game-changer for the port, as its business has been affected by traffic congestion. “Once the project is completed, we will be one of the leading ports and will be getting a lot of business from car firms, which includes export and import,” a port official said. The proposed corridor will be open to four-wheelers only with two and three-wheeler  movement restricted as they can continue to use the available stretch.  

Sources also indicated that the project, instead of being taken up under Build, Operate and Transfer (BoT) mode, could be a special purpose vehicle with a joint venture between the State, Chennai Port and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).It is learnt that the project is being developed under Bharatmala, a Centrally sponsored and funded roads and highways scheme.

Revision test

Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project will now be a six-lane project with a width of 29 metres
It will have 10 exit-and-entry ramps
There will be no major land acquisition and the project will be implemented along the river bank, where encroachments will be cleared
Developed under Bharatmala project
Once implemented, it will take only 25 to 30 minutes to reach Port from Maduravoyal
Plans are on to develop a truck parking yard in Maduravoyal
The corridor will not be open to two and three-wheelers to reduce congestion

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