Ennore to Poonjeri sea link bridge to ease traffic in Chennai: Minister EV Velu
He made the announcement while replying to a debate on demands for grants for the Department of Highways and Minor Ports and Public Works at the state assembly.
Minister EV Velu at TN assembly
CHENNAI: To ease traffic congestion in the city, state Highways and Minor Ports minister EV Velu on Tuesday announced that a sea bridge will be constructed between Ennore in north Chennai and Poonjeri near Mahabalipuram on ECR.
He made the announcement while replying to a debate on demands for grants for the Department of Highways and Minor Ports and Public Works at the state assembly.
Sources in the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC) said that the detailed feasibility report for the proposed sea link bridge would be prepared in the coming months in consultation with the experts from the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras.
On land, the Ennore to Poonjeri runs a total distance of 73.5 km. “The project is in a preliminary stage. We don’t know the total distance of the sea bridge as it runs along off the coast,” the sources said.
Official sources said the proposed Ennore-Poonjeri sea link bridge might be implemented in various phases. The announcement for the new sea link bridge came amid the state highway department contemplating the revival of the Light House to Kottivakkam sea link road project, which was shelved in 2011 by the then AIADMK government.
Sources said the project in the first phase could be implemented from Light House to Kottivakkam and then will be extended further. The state government also proposed a sea bridge project connecting Thiruvottiyur and Chennai Port.
Minister Velu said a U-shaped service road will be built beneath Villivakkam ROB on the Inner Ring Road for vehicles traveling towards Korattur and Padi at a cost of Rs 14 crore.
A high-level bridge will be constructed over Rajakilpakkam Lake to connect Perungalathur and Madambakkam Junction of the Tambaram Eastern Bypass, at a cost of Rs 233 crore, he said, adding that a 1.4-km stretch from Rajakilpakkam to Agaramthen towards Perungalathur will be developed at Rs 25 crore. He also announced that the East Coast Road will be widened into a six-lane road between Thiruvanmiyur and Mahabalipuram at a cost of Rs 81 crore.
