CHENNAI: The Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Expressway project is being redesigned by Larsen & Toubro and it will likely have two flyovers. The new design will be ready within a month, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and MSME. “I held discussion with the consultants. As far as the traffic snarls and pollution are concerned, we will find solutions to them,” he said.
The Union Minister was addressing a press conference after dedicating road safety projects — the Automatic Speed Enforcement System and Advanced Traffic Management System in East Coast Road, enforcement-related equipment for the police department, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvannamalai districts, trauma care centre equipment at district headquarters hospital, Kancheepuram.
Stating that his ministry will build three green expressways, Gadkari said the 250-km Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is divided into 10 packages, of which bids have been received for eight. “Bids for the remaining two will be received within a month. We are waiting for clearances from the Forest and Environment Ministry. We are trying our best to award work before the election code of conduct comes into force. The cost of the project is Rs 15,000 crore and it is economically important for TN since it is a direct access control route,” he said.
“The travel time between Chennai and Bengaluru would be reduced to two-and-half hours with all the safety features once the expressway is ready,” he said, adding that the 277-km Chennai-Salem Expressway will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7,500 crore. NHAI is in the process of seeking environmental clearance and after that land acquisition will be initiated, said Gadkari.
On opposition for the project, the minister said, “There are two opinions and a case has been filed before the Supreme Court. After clearance from the Environment and Forest Departments, we will do what the SC says. One thing I am assuring is that land acquisition cost given by NHAI is more than the market value and people from across the country are ready to give their land for projects.”
“The third expressway is Chittoor-Thatchur Road named NH 716B (160km). This is a newly declared NH and will facilitate access to the city and decongest Chennai roads. This will also pass through industrially developed areas and will cost Rs 4,000 crore,” he said.
As many as 23 projects for 1,100 km at the cost of Rs 23,000 crore are under progress, said the minister, adding that about 12 projects have been delayed because of not getting permission for the land. Construction has been stopped at one of the very important under construction roads, the Sethiathope-Solapur road, because of not getting the clearance.
“We want to make India the number one automobile manufacturing hub in the world. This is where the role of TN is very important. I suggest the State government to establish scrapping clusters, preferably near to the port, in future, so that it can create more employment potential,” he said. Underscoring the importance of the FASTag system, he said, “We are going to incorporate GPS-based technology. In Tamil Nadu, installation of this technology is being done on an experimental basis in certain places.”
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami gave a detailed account on the road safety measures being implemented in the State and how the loss of lives had gone down drastically due to the concerted efforts taken by the government. He asserted that the State would strive to ensure zero per cent life loss due to road accidents.