The Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for two new roads to connect the East Coast Road (ECR) and the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) are to be presented to the government soon, according to sources in the Highways Department.
The road projects are aimed at reducing congestion along the two roads and enable distribution of the traffic load.
The two roads will connect ECR and OMR at Palavakkam and Neelangarai. The DPRs are ready now, and set to be presented before a Steering Committee soon after the election process is completed.
Officials said they were not at liberty to reveal the cost of the projects as estimated in the DPRs or shed light on the extent of land acquisition required for the project.
They, however, did reaffirm the government’s commitment to completing all land acquisition before starting the work.
“The government’s idea is to ensure that the project does not get stalled in the middle. Where there is a question of land acquisition involved, cases are bound to be filed. If that occurs after the commencement of work, it could affect the contractor, who might end up abandoning the project. The idea is to avoid this,” said an official of the Highways Department.
The two new projects were announced in the Assembly by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. They will add to the two existing roads connecting ECR and OMR, which are the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Salai at Sholinganallur and the Kelambakkam - OMR Link Road at Kelambakkam.
Combined with two proposed flyovers at Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur, the link roads are expected to significantly reduce vehicular congestion all along the commercial corridor at the southern reaches of the city, by distributing the flow of vehicles across a number of link ways.