Thiruporur bypass to be ready by January

Thiruporur bypass to be ready by January

After acquiring the land, it may take at least six months for completing the works, according to official sources.

Published: 23rd August 2021 03:25 AM |

For representational purposes

By B Anbuselvan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: After a prolonged delay, one of the two bypasses proposed along Old Mahabalipuram Road at Thiruporur will finally be completed by January, said a senior official from Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC).

This will help motorists heading towards Puducherry and Mamallapuram enter ERC by skipping the congested Thiruporur Junction. Meanwhile, another bypass proposed at Kelambakkam is facing hurdles as a portion of road passes through a saltpan. After acquiring the land, it may take at least six months for completing the works, according to official sources.

As part of widening of 25-km IT Expressway (Rajiv Gandhi Salai) from Siruseri to Mamallapuram into six-lane, two six-lane bypasses were proposed at Thiruporur and Kelambakkam under Tamil Nadu Investment Promotion Programme (TNIPP) phase II.

In the first stage, TNRDC took up construction of two bypasses in 2018 at a cost of Rs 247 crore and planned to complete it by 2020. However, works got delayed due land acquisition issues and lockdown.

The 7.45-km long Thiruporur bypass proposes to connect Kalavakkam village with Thandalam, skipping Thiruporur junction.

To facilitate smooth passage of locals, a pedestrian underpass will be built at Hindustan Engineering College in Pudur. Similarly, Kelambakkam bypass road which starts at Pudur in OMR and ends at Thaiyur village, will cover the 4.67-km distance without entering Kelambakkam.

“As per the Centre’s guidelines, we can commence construction works only after remitting the land acquisition cost. Recently, the State government released `95 crore for the project. The saltpan will be acquired after approval from the salt commissioner, and it may take at least six months for completion of road works,” said the official.

S Kumaravel, a resident of Kelambakkam said, “Even during lockdown, Kelambakkam and Thiruporur Junctions were facing huge traffic snarls. Taking advantages of the lockdown, several long-pending projects were completed in other States, but the six laning of OMR which has been delayed for more than 10 years, is still moving at a snail’s pace.” As per the traffic survey in 2017, vehicle volume in OMR was 75,000 a day and is projected to reach one lakh over the next three to five years.