TN Highways dept seeks CRZ nod for steel bridge linking ECR and OMR
The proposed bridge in Neelankarai that links the two arterial roads will reduce congestion in south Chennai
Bridge alignment map
CHENNAI: The State Highways Department has applied for Coastal Regulation Zone clearanceto construct a new bridge across the Buckingham Canal at Neelankarai, aimed at establishing a long-pending direct link between Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR) and East Coast Road.
The proposed link road, extending 1.465 km with a Right of Way (RoW) of 30.5 metres, is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion in the southern parts of the city by connecting two of Chennai's major arterial corridors. The road will start at the intersection of the Pallavaram 200 Feet Radial Road and OMR, and terminate at ECR in Neelankarai.
The Highways Department has already completed 860 metres of the link road from the OMR side in the first phase.
"The proposed link road will offer residents along the ECR a shorter route into the city and help decongest traffic at the Sholinganallur and Tiruvanmiyur junctions. Once completed, it is expected to divert around 40 per cent of the traffic from the OMR–Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road junction," a senior official said.
According to the project report, the bridge across the Buckingham Canal will span 96 metres, comprising three spans of 32 metres each. Including approach roads, the total length of the structure will be 376 metres, with a carriageway width of 27.7 metres.
A CRZ classification report prepared by the Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS), Anna University, indicates that 98.09 metres of the proposed construction falls within the CRZ area, while the remaining 277.91 metres lies outside the regulated zone.
As part of the project, the department has floated a tender for the construction of a 36-metre-long, six-lane, high-level steel bridge. The plan also includes small vehicular underpasses on either side of the canal, bund roads to accommodate local traffic, and approach roads leading to the bridge. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs 37 crore.
Residents along the ECR currently face difficulty accessing neighbourhoods along the OMR, and vice versa. The lack of a direct link has led to increased vehicular movement along interior roads and longer detours, aggravating traffic congestion. At present, commuters travelling from ECR to Chennai International Airport must pass through Tiruvanmiyur, Madhya Kailash, Sardar Patel Road, and Guindy—a route covering nearly 18 km. The proposed link is expected to reduce this distance to 15.5 km via the Pallavaram 200 Feet Radial Road.
