Chennai Port–Maduravoyal Expressway

The Chennai Port – Maduravoyal Expressway is an 19 kilometres (12 mi) elevated expressway under construction in the city of Chennai, India. The corridor begins at Chennai Port Gate no. 10 and travels along the bank of the Cooum River till it reaches Koyambedu and along the median of NH4 thereon till it reaches Maduravoyal.

History

An 18.3-kilometre (11.4 mi) long, 20-metre (66 ft) wide elevated road project connecting the port with Maduravoyal is under construction at a cost of ₹ 16,550 million. Upon completion, this will be the country's longest four-way elevated expressway. The project was sanctioned in June 2007 when the Tamil Nadu Government gave its 'in principle' approval to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for the elevated expressway. The project cost then was put at ₹ 14,680 million. In January 2009, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, laid the foundation stone for the project but the project was put on hold for want of environment clearance.^[1] The project has got the environment clearance in February 2011, and during the same month, the port handed over a cheque for ₹ 500 million to the NHAI as part of its contribution to the project. The expressway starts from Gate No. 10 of the Chennai Port near the War Memorial and ends before Maduravoyal Interchange. It would run along the banks of the Cooum up to Koyambedu and would end along the Cooum near the Koyambedu grade separator. From there for a distance of three km up to Maduravoyal the elevated expressway would come up on Poonamallee High Road. There would be a total of four entry and exit ramps as part of the project. While the entry ramps would come up on Sivananda Salai and College Road, the exit points would be provided on Spurtank Road and Kamaraj Salai. The work at the Maduravoyal end began in December 2010. The project is being implemented on a build, own and transfer mode. Of the total project cost of ₹ 16,550 million, ₹ 3,100 million has been set aside for land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement of nearly 7,400 people living along the project area. About 1,300 people have been rehabilitated at Okkiam Thoraipakkam. Of 30 hectares to be acquired for the project, only 2 hectares belong to private owners. The project was initially expected to be completed by end of 2013.^[2] However, the project has been put on hold.^[3][4]

Project Details

This corridor is implemented under Phase-VII^[5] of National Highways Development Project by NHAI. The Feasibility study cum DPR was done by Wilbur Smith Associates.^[6] This expressway forms a part of the circular corridor 2 of the High Speed Circular Corridors.

Alignment

• Km 0 - Km 1.56 reaches Northern Cooum River bank and parallel to MRTS line
• @ Km 2.1, the Expressway crosses the Elevated MRTS line between Chintadripet and Park Town Stations
• @ Km 3.2,
• @ Km 13.8, the Road splits into two and merges with NH4 as entry and exit ramps.
• The Expressway section meets the Koyambedu Grade Separator and the section between them will be 10-laned with 2-lane service roads on both sides
• At-grade stretch of 1.5 km because of Koyambedu Grade Separator and Chennai Metro over-head line crossing just after the grade separator
• @ Km 14.227, the Elevated Expressway restarts and goes along NH4 median
• @ Km 17.3, the Expressway starts coming down and meet the Maduravoyal clover-leaf grade separator and the section will be 14-laned [8-lane toll plaza + 6-lane NH4] with 2-lane service roads on both sides
• Elevated section — 17.5 km
• Total Length - 19 km

Interchanges

• A modified parclo interchange is under construction at Koyambedu junction with 2 arms of a clover leaf and an elevated loop on the third side.

Entry Ramps

• Sivananda Salai
• College Road

Exit Ramps

• Kamarajar Salai
• Spur Tank Road

Project status

7 March 2008:

• The project was officially launched with the passing of a government order by the Tamil Nadu state government .

Jan 2009:

• Prime minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for elevated expressway from Chennai Port to Madhuravoyal.^[7]
• Soma enterprises was awarded the project and the project is under construction.^[8]

June 2009:

• Physical work on the corridor to commence from November 2009. Land acquisition and preliminary works like casting yard are under progress.^[9]

July 2010:

• Environmental clearance has been obtained from National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA).^[10]

September 2010:

• Work started.

April 2012:

• 30 percent of the work was completed. However, the project was put on hold due to the State’s Water Resources Department alleging deviations in the alignment.^[11][12]

February 2014:

• Madras High Court quashes the stop-work order of the state PWD; Orders State government to extend full co-operation to the related parties for speedy completion of the stalled project.^[13]

Gallery

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  Near Maduravoyal grade separator.

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References

Transport in Tamil Nadu
Transport by cities	Chennai Coimbatore Erode Madurai Thanjavur Thoothukudi Tiruchirapalli Tirunelveli Tiruvannamalai
Road	National Highways NH 4 NH 5 NH 7 NH 7A NH 45 NH 45A NH 45B NH 45C NH 46 NH 47 NH 47B NH 49 NH 66 NH 67 NH 68 NH 205 NH 207 NH 208 NH 209 NH 210 NH 219 NH 220 NH 226 NH 227 NH 234 State Highways SH 4 SH 6 SH 9 SH 10 SH 15 SH 22 SH 49 SH 58 SH 68 SH 81 SH 134 SH 156 Other Roads Chennai Elevated Expressways Coimbatore bypass East Coast Road Old Mahabalipuram Road Public Transport Chennai BRTS Chennai RBTW Coimbatore BRTS State Express Transport Corporation Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Tiruchirappalli BRTS
Rail	Rail Networks Chennai Metro Chennai Monorail Chennai suburban railway Coimbatore Monorail Chennai MRTS Southern Railway Tiruchirappalli Monorail Rail Stations Chennai Central Chennai Egmore Coimbatore Junction Erode Junction Madurai Junction Salem Junction Tiruchirapalli Junction Thanjavur Junction Tirunelveli Junction
Air	International Airports Chennai Coimbatore Madurai Tiruchirappalli Domestic Airports Salem Thoothukudi Vellore Military Bases Arakkonam Coimbatore Madurai Tambaram Thanjavur Uchipuli
Water	Ports Chennai Ennore Kattupalli Nagapattinam Thoothukudi