MoU soon for Chennai port-Maduravoyal project

‘Tenders likely to be called by end of financial year’

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will soon be signed for fresh alignment of the Chennai port-Maduravoyal double deck road project. Since each stakeholder — the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Indian Navy, Chennai Port Trust and the government of Tamil Nadu — has obligations that need to be completed, an MoU is necessary, said a source associated with the project.

The State government has to remove settlements along the Cooum and rehabilitate residents. The number of people to be displaced has now gone up due to an increase in the number of ramps to provide access to motorists. At present, there are 13 ramps. The cost of relief and rehabilitation was earlier around ₹500 crore. It has now increased due to more land being required for the additional ramps. “Tenders for the construction of the elevated corridor are likely to be called by financial year-end for the 20.5-km project,” said another official.

The Chennai Port Trust is the project proponent. The idea is to allow container-carrying trailers to take the corridor, instead of crowding the Poonamallee High Road, as is being done now. During the night, trailers take the arterial road to reach the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway.