CHENNAI: The proposed 36-km elevated corridor project from Chennai airport to Chengalpet (toll plaza) has taken a new turn with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stating that it will commence the project in a phased manner from Tambaram to Chengalpet toll plaza by this financial year.
According to official sources, the NHAI said it will start the elevated corridor project in a phased manner. This came to light during a study review committee meeting held earlier this month to discuss the final feasibility report prepared by consultant CDM Smith.
It is learnt that in the first phase, the work will start from Tambaram to Chengalpet and it will be a six-lane elevated corridor project. The number of lanes between Chennai airport and Tambaram is yet to be decided. Initially, it was suggested to be a four-lane.
The new move comes in the wake of the consultant submitting a detailed feasibility study report for development of the elevated corridor from Chennai airport to Chengalpet (toll plaza) along the Grand Southern Trunk Road (NH-45) to the government. As per the report, the 36-km elevated stretch will reduce travel time from Chennai airport to Chengalpet toll plaza (Paranur) by an hour and 10 minutes.
As the NHAI is implementing the project from Tambaram, the consultant has now been told to give an estimate of the cost of the project exclusively starting from Chennai airport to Tambaram-Irumbuliyur junction, excluding the cost for junction development at Irumbuliyur into consideration.
The feasibility report, prepared by the consultant, had stated that once the 36-km elevated stretch is ready, it will take only 33 min to travel from Chennai airport to Chengalpet toll plaza. Initially, the project proposed by the consultant was a four-lane corridor to be carried out in two phases at a cost of ` 3,000 crore.