State likely to relocate 1,700 families to pave way for elevated corridor project in Chennai

According to the revised plan, the corridor will have six lanes instead of four and an extra Rs 1845 crores have been allocated for the project that will connect Maduravoyal to Chennai Port.
File photo of the Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor (EPS)
File photo of the Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor (EPS)

CHENNAI: The 20.3km elevated corridor project from Maduravoyal to Chennai Port has hit a roadblock over land acquisition issues. It is learnt that the project for which a fresh detailed project report has been prepared, is yet to start as 1,713 families affected by the project are yet to be evicted and resettled.

The project was scrutinised by the Prime Minister's Office recently as it features under the central government's Pragati project.

Initially, conceptualised as a four-lane elevated project, which was to be built at a cost of Rs 1,655 crore, the project have been  revised after it got stalled over a bitter row between the state and National Highway Authority of India over the alignment.

A revised Detailed Project Report has been prepared now with the cost revised to Rs 3,500 crore. The project is also converted into a six-lane one. However, now the challenge is to acquire 3.08 hectare area of land and resettle the 1,713 affected families.

Chief general manager Alok Deepankar (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka) said that during a review meeting of the project held by the Prime Minister’s Office, the state government had promised to resettle the affected families by October or November. It is learnt that the families will be relocated from five locations.

He said that once the land acquisition process and transfer of defence land happens, the project will be kick-started.

A total of 3.08 hectares of land is required to be acquired for the project. These include 1.69 hectare of government land and 1.39 hectare of private land. The biggest immediate challenge is acquisition of private land where in the award could not be passed due to non-release of funds by the State government. The compensation has to be paid as per the new land acquisition Act, which could cost the exchequer dearly.

It is learnt that land acquisition cost has to be borne by both the state government and Chennai Port. The affected families will be either shifted to the tenemants at the Perumbakkam resettlement colony or will be allotted plots for which orders are ready.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com