NHAI to re-lay damaged road linking Chennai-Ennore port

The motorists using the Chennai-Ennore Port connectivity road could heave a sigh of relief with the NHAI proposing to take up the much-needed re-laying of the battered road at a cost of Rs 71 crore.

A stretch of 29 km comprising Ennore Expressway, Inner Ring Road, Manali Oil Refinery Road and Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road are part of the Chennai Ennore Port connectivity project. But motorists have been complaining regularly that roads are in a bad shape, despite the collection of toll.

Residents of the adjoining areas including Manali, Sathyamurthy Nagar, Manali

New Town and Madhavaram have been sore over the condition of the road, which was left uncared for the past few years. Despite being a toll road, the NHAI has left the road unattended for years together.

Expressing concern over the condition of the various stretches of the toll road, K Radhakrishnan, a cab driver at Madhavaram, points out that motorists travelling at high speed on the highways are often caught off-guard by the bad condition of the stretches.

“The stretch of Inner Ring Road near Mathur Toll Plaza and MFL junction-Sathyamurthy Nagar on Ennore Expressway are full of potholes and motorists suffer severe jolts. The bad condition of the stretches pose a severe threat to road users, particularly two-wheelers, and could lead to accidents,” he said.

A senior official of NHAI said that the bids have been floated for resurfacing and restoration of the 29.14 km stretches of the four highways at a cost of Rs 71.24 crore. “The work contract will be awarded soon,” the official said.

Motorists travelling at high speed on the highways are often caught off-guard by the bad condition of the stretches - K Radhakrishnan, a cab driver at Madhavaram