The Hindu Business Line : Feasibility report on expressway on NH4

A feasibility study by L&T Ramboll for the Rs 750-crore dedicated elevated expressway from the southern gate of Chennai port to Maduravoyal on NH 4 has been submitted to the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways for consideration.

The project is to expedite movement of cargo from and to the Chennai port and is planned for a four-lane corridor along the Poonamallee High Road, Mr K. Suresh, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust, told newspersons.

The study was submitted to the Ministry with a request to constitute a special purpose vehicle constituting the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Chennai Port Trust, and the Tamil Nadu Government to implement the project, he added.

On the Rs 309-crore Chennai-Ennore Port Road Connectivity project, Mr Suresh said that shore protection work has been completed and about 80,000 sq m of land reclaimed along the Ennore coast, which was in the past affected by sea erosion. The other major components of the work are to four-lane the Ennore Expressway, improve the Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panjetti Road, improve the Inner Ring Road, and rehabilitate and resettle families affected by the project.

The road passing through the fishing harbour would also be upgraded under the project, he said.

The Chennai Port Trust is one of the partners of the special purpose vehicle called Chennai Ennore Port Road Company Ltd, along with NHAI and Tamil Nadu Government.