Kamal Ghorui
Chennai: The 20.9km Port–Maduravoyal Expressway being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will run as a double-decker corridor from Koyambedu through the city over Cooum river. However, the first 5.7km stretch from Vanagaram to Koyambedu along Poonamallee High Road will be a single-deck elevated road, as NHAI is retrofitting pillars built in 2008 using existing foundations.An official involved with the project said the original pillars have a strong foundation to accommodate a single-deck. “It will house an 8m high flyover which will enter Cooum river at Padi Kuppam, and expand into a second corridor at 16m height next to VR Mall after crossing the 100-Feet Road,” the official said.Beyond the Maduravoyal clover-grade separator, the NHAI has also built new pillars at 8m height. The old pillars are retrofitted with fresh concrete. NHAI has placed 25 double-decker pillars on the Cooum River in core city areas such as Egmore and Chetpet, while they have begun the piling work at the Padi Kuppam connection point before Koyambedu.NHAI officials said they could carry out work on Cooum river faster as there is no disturbance in the area. The official said the first corridor will cater to commuter vehicles as it will have an exit ramp at key points of city, while the second corridor will end only at the Port. Both the corridors will be toll-charged, even though they run inside city, like Bengaluru’s electronic city flyover.The NHAI is casting pile caps at a 60-acre yard and about 2,000 segments are being cast. “We have placed about five in the Shanthi Colony side. The work is being expedited near Koyambedu,” the official said.The state highways department has also demolished an existing causeway connecting Mogappair and Golden George Nagar with Poonamallee High Road to allow piling work. Another high-level bridge will eventually be built here.Activists, however, said the NHAI had placed barricades on the 5km stretch in Poonamallee High Road nearly two years ago, with minimal construction happening. They have also not provided any alternative traffic options.Tamil Nadu Sand and Lorry Owners Federation leader S Yuvaraj said the carriageway has shrunk. “In the night, when they carry out retrofitting work using cranes, they also close the Poonamallee High Road. This affects movement of trucks and private buses at night. They can create a temporary road from Vanagaram to Koyambedu on the Cooum river itself till the flyover is completed,” he said.
