Port-Maduravoyal corridor to be extended up to Vandalur

The Elevated Four-lane Corridor Project (EFLCP) from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal was conceived 11 years ago to divert the container traffic from arterial roads and ease congestion within the city. However, the project was terminated last year after the state government’s refusal to issue environmental clearance certificate. However, the state government a few months back changed its stand and gave the clearance after which the project got revived.

Surendranath, Project Director, NHAI, Chennai, told DTNext that the State and Central governments reached a consensus to resume the project. “We are also planning to extend the expressway by 10 km and it will be connected with the ORR via Poonamallee near Nazarethpet (NH4). We are currently studying the project, after which pillars will be constructed on the extension route,” he said and added that the NHAI would also form a committee soon to monitor the progress of the project. After the completion of the study, fresh tenders would be floated for the entire stretch of 29 km, including the extension route. 

Meanwhile, activists want the NHAI to expedite the work as the city was already struggling with bottlenecks due to metro tunnel work in several places. MG Devasagayam, an urban development expert and former civil servant, while welcoming the move to extend the project, said, “Traffic congestion both in the city and other bypass roads is on the rise. The situation is so tough that it takes not less than an hour to reach Vandalur from Tambaram. The linking of the elevated expressway with Vandalur ORR will ease the traffic,” he said.