Tamil Nadu budget: Maduravoyal-Chennai Port double-decker elevated corridor to be built at Rs 5,770 crore – Times of India

CHENNAI: The much-awaited Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project would be constructed at a cost of Rs 5,770 crore. A memorandum of understanding would be signed between the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Navy, Chennai Port and the Tamil Nadu government, finance minister Palanivel Thiyagarajan announced on Friday.
Presenting the budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the finance minister told the assembly that the government is committed to revive and implement the 20.06km-long double-decker elevated corridor. It is vital to the commercial development of Chennai.
The NHAI would prepare a detailed project report. “It is under preparation,” said the minister.
The projec was conceived in 2010 by the then DMK government headed by M Karunanidhi. The project commenced in September 2010. It was aimed at easing the city traffic and free movement of freight fro and to the port.
However, it was stalled after the AIADMK came to power in 2011 as then chief minister J Jayalalithaa opposed the project, stating that it would have an adverse impact on environment and also result in flooding the residential areas. The government had also defended its decision pointing out that 14km out of the 18.3 km of the elevated expressway would fall on the river Cooum. The pillars were erected on the river.
The NHAI resumed the project after the TN government signed a state support agreement (SSA) for the project in December 2016. The authorities have also completed the detailed project report (DPR) and estimated that the project would be taken up at Rs 2,600 crore. There is no deviation from the alignment of the project.