CHENNAI: The state highways department has taken a slew of measures to improve its performance and accelerate long-pending road projects in a transparent manner. These measures include establishing a dedicated cell for land acquisition, implementing an internal auditing system, and utilising technology to ensure road quality. The department receives Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,400 crore funds a year.
During 2022-23, the highways department commenced works to upgrade 10,000 km of panchayat union and panchayat roads to other district roads. Additionally, 9,900 km of single, intermediate, and double-lane roads passing through semi-rural and urban areas will be widened. These efforts will improve road connectivity to major industries, hospitals, block districts, and taluk headquarters.
The suspension of four highways officials, including a divisional engineer in Karur district in April last year, for paying Rs 3 crore to contractors for work that was not completed, has highlighted the operational gaps within the department. This prompted the department to introduce an internal audit system.
The expansion of land acquisition units has brought some benefits to the highways department, enabling the construction of flyovers, road over bridges, and road widening works in Chennai, Madurai, Vellore, Coimbatore, Tiruppattur, Tiruchy, and other locations where such projects had been delayed for almost 10 to 15 years. Until last year, the highway had nine special land acquisition and management units headed by DROs and 44 under tahsildars to carry out land acquisition works. Now the land acquisition and management units have been increased to 14 under special DROs.
After nearly 20 years since its approval, the construction of the rail over bridge at Korukkupet has recently commenced. The long-pending ROB works near Veppampattu and Thirunindravur have also received some relief.
Highways Minister E V Velu said, “A total of 403 km of new four-lane roads are being built at a cost of Rs 3,730 crore. 1,070 km of single and intermediate other district roads are being upgraded into two-lane major district roads. In addition, out of 440 hectares of private land, 431 hectares have been acquired for Chennai - Kanniyakumari industrial corridor project in 348 Villages.”
Special land acquisition units helped the highways to take up construction of bypasses for Uthiramerur, Tiruppur and Coimbatore Western Ring road last year. A total of Rs 435.39 crore has been allotted for the works. The bypass works are at an advanced stage for 16 other towns.
However, land acquisition which involves forest land gets delayed and there was no significant improvement in developing the 9.3 km Tambaram Eastern Bypass which aims to decongest the GST road. The proposed road connecting the GST road at Perungalathur to the Velachery-Tambaram road near Madambakkam has been delayed for over 10 years.
Dayanand Krishnan of Tambaram based residents welfare association said, “Tambaram bypass project was proposed 20 years ago and construction began in 2009. The 3-km stretch in Mappedu has been completed, but no contractor has come forward to develop the road in the Puthur section. Land acquisition is yet to be completed for the remaining section, mainly due to issues in obtaining NOC from the forest department.”
Velu said, “To undertake improvements to village roads, committees have been formed at the district level. Projects are not sanctioned solely on the basis of requests from the panchayat presidents, but rather roads with high traffic density are given priority. So far, 91 roads that stretch 232.77 km completed.”
Chief Minister’s Road Development Programme
Target: 2,200 km of two-lane roads into four-lane & 6,700 km of single-lane and intermediate-lane roads into double-lane roads in the next 10 years.
Completed works
403 km two-lane into four-lane at Rs 3,730 crore
1,070 km Single/Intermediate lane to 2 lanes at Rs 1,668 crore
Upgrading of 10,000 km of panchayat and panchayat union roads into ODR roads in the next 10 years.
2,000 km length of roads taken up at a cost of Rs 2,187 crore.
91 roads for a length of 232.77 km completed.
Works completed in 2022-23
14 ROBs/ RUBs have been built since 2021 at a cost of Rs 464.31 crore & level crossings have been closed.
Administrative sanction has been accorded for building ten ROB/RUB at a cost of Rs 393.50 crore.
147 high-level bridges constructed replacing causes for the free flow of traffic across rivers since 2021.
Works taken up last year
Construction of bypasses (alternative routes) for Uthiramerur, Tiruppur & Coimbatore Western Ring road have been taken up at a cost of Rs 435.39 crore.