CHENNAI: Highways Department has sought Rs 2.33 crore from Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for preparing a detailed project report for linking East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road. The project is important as it will improve the linkage between OMR and ECR, which are two important roads catering to major employment and residential areas of the southern part of the Chennai metropolitan area.
Most of the population working in the information technology sector along OMR go to ECR which is a leisure and entertainment corridor for activities, and making it more an integral corridor will ease traffic on these roads. Currently, limited connectivity between these two important roads results in extended detours, longer travel time and traffic congestion in areas served by roads.
This comes after Housing and Urban Development Minister Muthuswamy in 2021-22 announced a Rs 180-crore project which includes widening roads between Kannagi Nagar at Okkiyam Thoraipakkam and Injambakkam and a high-level rotary bridge across the Buckingham Canal by linking ECR and OMR.
The minister carried out an inspection on October 28, 2021, and finalised a link between Kannagi Nagar and Injambakkam for implementation. However, there was a hurdle that was revealed during a discussion held with the Water Resources Department, the custodian of water bodies.
The department said construction of a bridge across the Buckingham Canal, which is a crucial part of the project, has to be based on guidelines of the Inland Waterway Authority of India. As such it would require a vertical clearance of 7 metres for the navigational stretch of South Buckingham Canal. Apart from that, mud roads along the banks of the canal are only for inspection through jeeps and the construction of roads as planned in CMDA proposal is not permissible.
As a result, an inter-departmental meeting was held to work out a solution where in parallel roads are to be constructed along the bunds of the canal. This would be done by strengthening the bunds and linking roads on both sides by rotary bridge intersections in two or three locations. According to sources, Water Resources Department said if the bunds are to be strengthened, the initiative is permissible. Now, a detailed project report from the Highways Department is mooted and funds to the tune of Rs 2.33 crore for carrying out DPR is to be borne by CMDA.
The project was considered by CMDA as southern Chennai is poised to grow in the coming years and the expected corridor is poised for further growth. This also comes as the state government is set to restore the Buckingham Canal with plans to develop a blueprint for the canal’s waterfront and use recovered land beyond the canal boundaries for infrastructure development, beautification, and recreational purposes.
Aimed at reducing travel time, congestion
The project is important as it will improve linkage between OMR and ECR, which are two important roads catering to major employment and residential areas of the metropolitan area. Currently, limited connectivity between these two important roads results in extended detours, longer travel time and traffic congestion.