CHENNAI: After nearly 17 years, the work on the final phase of the 30 km-stretch of the Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP), for a distance of 300 metres, is set to begin by December 2019, according to Chennai Port chairman P Raveendran.
Delivering the Independence Day address, Raveendran said that the final phase of the long delayed EMRIP project, for a distance of around 300 metres, has now been cleared and National Highway authority of India (NHAI) is set to commence the work by December 2019.
Nearly 99% of the `600 crore project, which was conceived in 1998, that links four roads --- Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti (TPP) sector, Ennore Expressway, Manali Oil Refinery Road and northern portions of Inner Ring Road from Madhavaram to Manali -- has been completed and the only hurdle was the acquisition of the slum land. The special purpose vehicle for the project was formed in 2003.
Raveendran also said that Chennai Port is planning a container yard.”There is disparity in the import and export container traffic in the region, where imports are more and export is less. As a result, a number of empty containers are generated after import cargo is destuffed,” he said.
Raveendran said Chennai port is constructing a 260 metre long Coastal Terminal at the northern sheltering arm north of East Quay, as part of the Government initiatives, which will increase the volume of coastal cargoes thatwill enhance Coastal Traffic volume,” he added.