CHENNAI: Drawing from the experiences of the Chennai Bypass and Outer Ring Road, the State Highways has designed the 133-km Chennai Peripheral Ring Road (CPRR), which is under construction, with 7.5-metre-wide service lanes on both sides along its entire length.
Two-wheelers will be restricted to the service lanes, which will connect to all major roads between Ennore and Poonjeri. The six-lane CPRR will have controlled-access (regulated traffic flow) with entry only at limited locations.
Official sources attributed the decision to multiple factors, including the high number of accidents involving two-wheelers, reckless riding, local protests over toll fees, discipline issues with truck drivers, slow-moving traffic, and congestion.
The Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC) and Tamil Nadu Road Infrastructure Development Corporation (TNRIDC) — the agencies responsible for building the CPRR — stated that both the Puzhal-Perungalathur Chennai Bypass and the Vandalur-Minjur Outer Ring Road were designed to meet expressway standards, allowing vehicles to travel at speeds up to 100 km/h. However, due to a lack of proper service lanes, two-wheelers have been involved in frequent accidents on the Chennai Bypass, and on the Outer Ring Road.
A senior highway official explained that although traffic police and road safety committee members have recommended restricting two-wheelers on certain stretches of the Outer Ring Road, the absence of proper service lanes throughout the stretch makes it difficult to implement it.
“However, the CPRR has been designed with service lanes on both sides to ensure that two-wheelers use only the service lanes, keeping the main carriageway free for other vehicles,” he added. A traffic police official said truck drivers are expected to stay in the extreme left lane.
Two-wheelers involved in frequent accidents on Chennai bypass
This allows fast-moving vehicles to use the centre lane, while the right lane is reserved for overtaking. “However, in practice, heavily loaded commercial vehicles often occupy the centre or right lanes, while two-wheelers use the left lane, resulting in frequent turning between lanes contributing to accidents on highways.”
To facilitate faster movement of goods from south TN to Ennore and Kattupalli ports and AP without entering the city, the 132.87 km road is being constructed at Rs 16,212 crore.
The CPRR begins at Ennore Port and ends at Poonjeri near Mahabalipuram, plying through Thatchur, Tiruvallur Bypass, Sriperumbudur, and SP Koil. Phase I of the project is being executed by TNRDC from Ennore Port to Thatchur for laying 25.4 km, including a link road to the Chennai ORR, at a cost of Rs 4,290 crore.
Phase II, from Thatchur to Tiruvallur Bypass, is being constructed at Rs 2,259 crore. Land acquisition is underway for Phase III (Tiruvallur Bypass to Sriperumbudur) and Phase V (SP Koil to Poonjeri). The Phase IV works of 23.5 km from Sriperumbudur to SP Koil have been completed using the state funds and DPR is being prepared to make this stretch controlled-access.
According to data, two-wheelers accounted for 44% of road fatalities in 2023, with 8,113 out of 18,347 deaths. In 2022, two-wheelers made up 41.3% (7,392) of 17,884 road deaths. About 25-26% of all accidents cause fatalities.