CHENNAI: Chennai may soon have its own sea link similar to that of Bandra-Worli Sea Link. To decongest the Chennai Port, a feasibility report is being prepared for the 8-km bridge.Part of Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti Programme, the sea link between Chennai Port to Manali Road - Thiruvottiyur Junction is slowly taking shape as the preliminary report has been submitted, according to a National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) official. The official added a full-fledged detailed project report is likely to be taken up next month.
On November 2, 2021, the project of augmenting Chennai Port to Eranavur was assigned to Aarvee Associates Architects. With the aim to ensure smooth movement of port-connected traffic, the project will have an elevated 7.60 km four-lane road with a median, in the sea, spanning the port entrance (Zero Gate - Km.0/000) to the next major road junction at Eranavur (Km. 7/538).
The project is crucial as major industrial establishments like Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Central Warehousing Corporation Ltd, Madras Fertilizers, Vichoor Industrial Estate, Ashok Leyland, Toshiba, Tamil Nadu Petro Products Ltd., SAIL Stockyard, etc., are located in the vicinity.
In 2001, a special purpose vehicle was formed comprising NHAI, the Tamil Nadu government, Chennai Port Trust and Kamarajar Port (then Ennore Port Limited) to improve the four major roads connecting Chennai and Ennore Ports. Under the Ennore Manali Road Improvement Project, Ennore Expressway from Gate No 1 (Zero Gate) of Chennai Port, a length of 7.60 km was developed into a four-lane road with service roads on both sides.But, during the intervening two decades, the traffic volume and particularly the Chennai Port-bound container traffic increased. This then brought on unmanageable problems for the general traffic.
No more traffic woes
With an aim to ensure smooth movement of traffic, the project has an elevated 7.60 km four-lane road from the port entrance to the next junction at Eranavur