Port-Maduravoyal project in limbo as NHAI is yet to study viability

The work on the elevated project continues to remain stalled even after the Tamil Nadu government wrote to NHAI in December 2016 to take up the project in the revised alignment. The Water Resources Department issued a stop-work notice in March 2012, citing certain issues on the alignment of the road along Cooum.

“With the project cost going up in the revised DPR, we are studying the viability of the project under BOT. The technical committee has met twice but no final decision has been taken yet. We would be able to decide only if the committee recommends,” said a senior NHAI official.

The project cost of the 19.3km-long elevated road was revised upward to Rs 2,700 crore from the original cost of Rs 1,815 crore in the revised DPR submitted by the consultant in October 2018. The revised project cost excludes land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement. The contribution by Chennai Port Trust towards LA and R&R is 50 per cent of the total cost of Rs 470 crore and the remaining 50 per cent will be borne by the State government.

In the revised DPR, the elevated project’s total length has gone up to 20.3 km. It will also have six lanes after its cross section has been upgraded from 20m to 29m as per the new Indian Road Congress manual guidelines.

Officials said that the Indian Navy and Chennai Port Trust have agreed on the alignment, especially at the landing point in the port. The Shipping Ministry has given in-principle approval to the proposal for alienation of Chennai Port Trust land to naval authorities in lieu of taking over the navy quarters land for the project.

An NHAI official said that a review meeting was conducted by the Cabinet Secretary with the Chief Secretary on December 26, 2018, wherein NHAI was directed to explore the viability of the project under the BOT model.