Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is accelerating the long-delayed elevated corridor project between Thiruvanmiyur and Uthandi, with plans to finish it in 18 months. This 16-kilometer stretch will begin at the TIDEL Park junction and end at Uthandi, passing through key areas like LB Road junction, Kottivakkam, Neelankarai, Injambakkam, and Akkarai. Designed to cut down travel time, the corridor will feature on-ramps and off-ramps at LB Road junction, Thiruvanmiyur RTO office, and Neelankarai for easy local access.
The project aims to reduce travel time from a grueling 45-60 minutes to just 10 minutes
The Chennai East Coast Road, a vital artery of the city, is set to undergo a massive transformation to tackle the growing traffic congestion. With over 1.2 lakh vehicles plying daily from Thiruvanmiyur to Uthandi toll plaza, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to extend the proposed flyover from Thiruvanmiyur railway station to Uthandi tollbooth, spanning 16 km.
The flyover will have five entrances and exits for a distance of 15 km from the Tidal Park Junction to Uthandi.
The route will have entry and exit points at LB Road junction, Thiruvanmiyur RTO, Neelangarai, Enchambakkam, and Akkarai. State Highways Minister EV Velu said that Rs 1,075 crore has been earmarked for flyover works, of which Rs 940 crore will be spent on land acquisition.
The project aims to reduce travel time from a grueling 45-60 minutes to just 10 minutes, saving fuel and easing commute. The flyover, initially planned for a 2km stretch, will now cover a significant portion of the ECR, bringing relief to motorists.
About 69,000 vehicles use the 15 km stretch of ECR between Tidal Park and Uthandi. Currently, it takes 45 to 60 minutes to cover this distance due to heavy traffic. This elevated corridor project was proposed to deal with this congestion and thus the travel time will be reduced to less than 15 minutes, according to authorities.
Plan to construct a six-lane road between Thiruvanmiyur to Akkarai
The Highways minister also inspected the six-lane highway extension work for a distance of 10 km from Thiruvanmiyur to Akkarai.
“The widening work will be completed by April 11 next year. Land acquisition work is underway in Sholinganallur, Palavakkam, Kottivakkam, and other villages and funds are being distributed,” he said.
With the road widening works expected to be completed in six months, the high-level flyover is predicted to greatly alleviate traffic jams. This infrastructure upgrade is a much-needed solution to the increasing vehicular traffic, which is expected to double on ECR in the next few years.