Chennai Elevated Expressways

[Kewl Batty]

huh!
I thought the work already started..

[Arul Murugan]

So the work is going to start by end of 2009 i.e 2010 starting... It will progress for more than 5yrs.

Even now they can moot the railway line from Avadi to Sriperumbudur with an extension to Kanchipuram.

Just like Uothukottai-Athipattu, railways should go for FEDL - Fully electrified and double line.

It will shorten the train journey between Kanchi and Chennai.

[Civilian26189]

Why November??!! Why not now ..

[natarajan1986]

all sorts of preliminary work will be done lk soil testing etc and also gov shud hand over some land b4 tat

[Kathir]

Any updates on this?
Looks like a totally forgotten one.

[bonoslack7]

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/s...e=rSY|6QYp3kQ=

The open air theatre at Kalakshetra in Chennai witnessed an unusual congregation: the city’s rich and elite joining hands with the less privileged in voicing their reservations and protest against the proposed elevated express highway project. They want the government to give up the Rs 1,000-crore elevated expressway from Marina Beach to Kottivakkam. “We are making an effort to save our beaches. If the project becomes a reality, the beaches will no longer be the same. The only open spaces in Chennai Elliots, Thiruvanmiyur and Marina Beach will be lost forever,” said M G Devasahayam, a retired bureaucrat and managing trustee, SUSTAIN, an NGO.The project will change the face of the residential areas on the entire stretch. It will erase out 594 houses, 14 commercial buildings, six public utility buildings and three places of worship. Once the construction begins, the area known for its serenity will be filled with noise, fumes and building debris.
These were a few issues raised at a seminar on “Chennai’s Elevated Expressways: A problem or a solution”, organised at the Kalakshetra on Sunday by the newly formed forum - Save Chennai Beaches.
The members of the forum alleged that apart from defacing the beaches, the project would adversely affect fishing activity, displace costal residents, disturb nestling of the Olive Ridely turtles and damage ecologically sensitive areas such as the Theosophical Society and Adyar estuary. At the seminar, people from different walks of life- members of fishermen community, environmentalists, experts on traffic and residents of Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur voiced their views.
“The fishermen community will lose its livelihood. We might be rehabilitated at some other place, which will be far away from the seas. If we don’t have an easy access to the sea, how are we going to make a living?” wondered K Saravanan, a representative from the fishermen community of Urur Kuppam. Arun from the Environment and Sea Turtle Conservation Network said the project would disturb the nestling Olive Ridely turtles and will become a threat to other aquatic mammals like dolphins. The rare species of birds and plants found on the beaches would soon become extinct.
Explore other options, say campaigners
CHENNAI: The campaigners of Save Chennai Beaches pointed out that there was a need to explore other options to ease traffic congestion in the city as the express highway project was against the principles of sustainable transportation and it is impossible to design it as an independent roadway. The expressway is inaccessible to pedestrians and cyclists and also creates adverse visual and aesthetic impacts, besides causing air and noise pollution. The elevated corridors are only for the purpose of enabling cars and two- wheelers to move at a high-speed and not for facilitating the movement of public transport. Incompatible land uses may lead to acute congestion on approach roads and there could be disastrous consequences in the event of accidents or breakdowns.
NL Rajah who spoke on the legal implications of the project said, “We have to explore other options to ease the traffic congestion in the city,” adding that both phases violated the environment rules and the Costal Regulation Zone notification of 1991.
The campaigners pointed out that there was a leaked version of the feasibility study report available on their website www.sipcotcuddalore.com, on population and urbanisation affected by the project. It estimates the population of this area as 1.009 lakhs, which was hardly 0.162 percent of the total state population and urbanisation rate in the project area was 100 percent. The project area shows high literacy levels at 77.37 percent and female literacy level (47 percent) is less as the project area is along the coast and inhabited by fishermen community.
A good number of participants advocated for up-gradation of existing road links and intersections and provisions for missing links as a solution for easing the traffic congestion. Synchronisation and rationalisation of signals will enhance the movement of traffic. There were also recommendations to bring in stringent rules relating to parking of vehicles.

[kannan infratech]

There may be a change in the alighnment of the elevated corridor from santhome to adyar due to the big pressure put up by South Chennai residents.

Malar Hospital side may be connected from Foreshore estate along the existing Kamaraj Salai, Greenways road (Foreshore Estate - Ambedkar Mandapam - Music College Junction - Sathya Studios - Malar Hospital side road running along Adyar.) If they include broadening of the bridge across Adyar near Malar Hospital, it will be better.

[Rasnaboy]

I don't know if there are any plans for widening the Adyar bridge. Instead, they're renovating the existing "dilapidated" bridge parallel to the current one. But dunno about the current status.

[die4chennai]

.. Correct me if i am wrong. I think u r talking about the high speed circular road alignment(connection b/w Adyar corridor and Elevated beach expressway). The oppposition from the South chennai residents is for beach elevated expressway which cannot be changed as per ur above post as it might disrupt either Adyar Ecopark or Theosophical society

[venkatm]

they should definitely build a nice road from lighthouse to greenways road. can think of a tunnel road to connect besant nagar (long term plan) but considering how the TN govt can make a hash of simple things, I don't have much hope.

[bonoslack7]

Construction work on the 19-km long elevated highway — the longest of its kind in the country — connecting Chennai Port with Maduravoyal via Koyambedu traffic junction will begin in November.
According to sources in the government, Hyderabad-based Soma Enterprise Limited, which is implementing the Chennai Metro Rail project, will construct the four-lane elevated highway on a Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) basis. The project is scheduled to be completed in three years.
“The project will be impleted at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore, including Rs 345 crore towards land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of families to be evicted along the Cooum river. The toll highway, which is aimed at providing better connectivity for heavy vehicles to the Chennai Port, will reduce traffic congestion on Poonamallee High Road,” sources in the Union surface transport ministry told The Times of India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone for the project last January, saying that it would facilitate quick movement of cargo from Chennai Port to other parts of the country through the golden quadrilateral corridor.
“This project is one more important milestone in the ambitious road programme of the government that will transform the country’s transport sector, give a boost to industry and integrate the economy,” Singh had said during the inauguration.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) obtained environmental clearance from the National Coastal Zone Management Authority for the construction of the elevated highway last month.
“While 12,000 families along the Cooum river have to be resettled for implementation of the project, PWD and Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board have already begun acquisition of land and resettlement and rehabilitation of the families to be evicted,” sources said.
The elevated highway will go along the Cooum river till Koyambedu and from there go on the middle of Poonamallee High Road upto Maduravoyal. Starting from War Memorial gate of the Chennai Port Trust, it will first cross the elevated MRTS railway line between Chintadripet and Park Town Stations and then cross College Road, Nungambakkam, Chetpet, Choolaimedu railway bridge, Arumbakkam to reach Koyambedu.
It will have entry ramps at Sivananda Salai and College Road and exit ramps at Kamarajar Salai and Spur Tank Road. The Koyambedu junction will have both entry and exit ramps. Toll plazas will be set up at Spur Tank Road and Maduravoyal.
The NHAI has already completed a three-km long elevated highway, the first of its kind in the state, through the Ambattur Industrial Estate as a part of the Chennai Bypass-II project and will be opened for traffic once the project is over.
NUTS AND BOLTS
The project will be implemented at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore
Hyderabad-based Soma Enterprises, which is implementing the Metro Rail project, has bagged the contract for the highway
Construction work will begin in November and is scheduled to be completed in 3 years
The highway will go along Cooum river till Koyambedu and go over the middle of Poonamallee High Road from Koyambedu to Maduravoyal
The elevated highway will have entry ramps at Sivananda Salai, College Road and Koyambedu. Exit ramps will come up at Kamarajar Salai, Spur Tank Road and Koyambedu
Toll plazas will be put up at Spur Tank Road and Maduravoyal.



Source: TOI

[kpgopal]

Originally Posted by bonoslack7

Construction work on the 19-km long elevated highway — the longest of its kind in the country — connecting Chennai Port with Maduravoyal via Koyambedu traffic junction will begin in November.
According to sources in the government, Hyderabad-based Soma Enterprise Limited, which is implementing the Chennai Metro Rail project, will construct the four-lane elevated highway on a Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) basis. The project is scheduled to be completed in three years.
“The project will be impleted at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore, including Rs 345 crore towards land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of families to be evicted along the Cooum river. The toll highway, which is aimed at providing better connectivity for heavy vehicles to the Chennai Port, will reduce traffic congestion on Poonamallee High Road,” sources in the Union surface transport ministry told The Times of India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone for the project last January, saying that it would facilitate quick movement of cargo from Chennai Port to other parts of the country through the golden quadrilateral corridor.
“This project is one more important milestone in the ambitious road programme of the government that will transform the country’s transport sector, give a boost to industry and integrate the economy,” Singh had said during the inauguration.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) obtained environmental clearance from the National Coastal Zone Management Authority for the construction of the elevated highway last month.
“While 12,000 families along the Cooum river have to be resettled for implementation of the project, PWD and Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board have already begun acquisition of land and resettlement and rehabilitation of the families to be evicted,” sources said.
The elevated highway will go along the Cooum river till Koyambedu and from there go on the middle of Poonamallee High Road upto Maduravoyal. Starting from War Memorial gate of the Chennai Port Trust, it will first cross the elevated MRTS railway line between Chintadripet and Park Town Stations and then cross College Road, Nungambakkam, Chetpet, Choolaimedu railway bridge, Arumbakkam to reach Koyambedu.
It will have entry ramps at Sivananda Salai and College Road and exit ramps at Kamarajar Salai and Spur Tank Road. The Koyambedu junction will have both entry and exit ramps. Toll plazas will be set up at Spur Tank Road and Maduravoyal.
The NHAI has already completed a three-km long elevated highway, the first of its kind in the state, through the Ambattur Industrial Estate as a part of the Chennai Bypass-II project and will be opened for traffic once the project is over.
NUTS AND BOLTS
The project will be implemented at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore
Hyderabad-based Soma Enterprises, which is implementing the Metro Rail project, has bagged the contract for the highway
Construction work will begin in November and is scheduled to be completed in 3 years
The highway will go along Cooum river till Koyambedu and go over the middle of Poonamallee High Road from Koyambedu to Maduravoyal
The elevated highway will have entry ramps at Sivananda Salai, College Road and Koyambedu. Exit ramps will come up at Kamarajar Salai, Spur Tank Road and Koyambedu
Toll plazas will be put up at Spur Tank Road and Maduravoyal.



Source: TOI

Looks like TOI has goofed up again. The expressway runs along the cooum river. However the map shows it cutting right across the city between Koyambedu and choolaimedu.

.

[pxp]

we can expect TOI coming back with a new map with 'new' coovum flowing the path of expressway and 'old' coovum flowing parallel.

[Into_salem]

Chennai: There will be no change to the alignment of the proposed elevated expressway from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal despite objections raised by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).

The proposed 19-km expressway will start from Chennai Port and continue along the banks of the Cooum till Koyambedu. From Koyambedu, it would ply at the centre of the existing road up to Maduravoyal on Chennai bypass.

The Expert Appraisal Committee for Coastal Regulation Zone (Infrastructure Development and Miscellaneous projects), MoEF, found part of this proposed road falling in the inter-tidal zone (between high tide line and low tide line) along the Cooum which is in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone Rules and suggested that the alignment be revised.

Earlier, in January, the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) also made the same observation and recommended that the project must not be built in the inter-tidal zone and should fall beyond the HTL on the landward side of the Cooum.

About 34.58 ha of the proposed elevated road falls within the CRZ and of the 506 foundation pits proposed, 35 fall in the river bed.

The Chennai Port Trust has proposed the project and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is the implementing agency for its development, maintenance and management. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for this project in January.

Sources at the Chennai Port Trust and NHAI said it would be impossible to change the alignment. The Chennai Port Trust has informed the TNSCZMA that the expressway will run at a height of 7 m above the existing banks of the river and will be constructed on pillars. Hence, it argued that the environmental impact in the inter tidal zone is not comparable to that of construction at the ground level. The TNSCZMA has accepted the Chennai Port Trusts’ arguments and has changed its earlier objections. It has now recommended the Elevated Expressway for the MoEF’s clearance.

Sources at the MoEF told The Hindu that the project is in violation of the CRZ rules and the Chennai Port Trust has not done the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

The feasibility report, submitted by Wilbur Smith Associates, consultants to the project, claims that the elevated expressway is not a new national highway and hence EIA is not mandatory.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/07/stor...0758230200.htm

[Mad 4 Madras]

[think_different]

moved to "chennai and ennore ports" thread

[Kewl Batty]

..

[think_different]

http://www.dailythanthi.com/article..../7/2009&advt=2

[Arul Murugan]

Eviction begins on Ethiraj Salai for elevated highway

Julie Mariappan | TNN

Chennai: The clearing of land on Ethiraj Salai for the ambitious elevated highway connecting Port and Maduravoyal began on Friday. Officials of the Public Works Department, Revenue and the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) joined hands in the exercise.

About 34 hutments in Rettamalai Srinivasan Nagar, on the embankment of the Cooum near Ethiraj Salai, were removed on day one.

There was a bit of tension when some dwellers, not in the list of beneficiaries, demanded proper rehabilitation. “Despite showing proof of residence, the officials did not consider us. We cannot find accommodation, as house owners in the city demand huge advances and rents.We have to keep all our belongings on the road-side,” said M Lalitha, a resident in that area.

“We had intimated all noneligible dwellers before today’s exercise but they did not move out,” said a senior PWD official. After a detailed enumeration three months ago, the TNSCB found 7,600 families to be eligible for resettlement. About 1,290 families spread over an area of 9.1 km, 50% of the project site, will be relocated in the Board’s high-rise tenements in Thoraipakkam off the IT Corridor in South Chennai.

The rest will be accomodated in the TNSCB’s proposed tenements in other parts of the city. “Different sites are being identified. Till then the Board will pay Rs 1,000 a month to each affected family for 21 months,” TNSCB sources said. According to eligibility criteria of the Board, families should stay on government-owned land before the cut-off date (June 2006) besides holding documentary proof of evidence like family cards and voter ID cards.

In the initial phase, the PWD wants to clear ‘obstructions’ from 5.4 km of embankment, between Ethiraj Salai and Chetpet. “At least 50% of the required land for the highway will have to be given to the National Highways Authority of India by November-end,” sources said.

Hyderabad-based Soma Enterprise Limited, which is implementing the Chennai Metro Rail, will construct the 19-km long four-lane elevated highway on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis. The project scheduled to complete in three years at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

TOI

[Arul Murugan]

Still there is no ground works or visible progress in port expressway other than land clearing?