"Revival Achieved: Construction Resumes on Long-Pending Chennai Port to Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway"

In a significant development, construction work has finally commenced on the long-stalled ₹5,885-crore Chennai Port to Maduravoyal elevated expressway project, initiated back in 2009. J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd, based in Mumbai, has initiated groundwork on the Cooum River near the iconic Casino Theatre in the heart of Chennai.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd the Chennai Elevated Corridor project at a total cost of ₹3,570 crores. Additional expenses include costs related to land acquisition and river restoration charges, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Yojana, the project involves the construction of a new double Tier 4-lane Elevated Corridor from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal in Tamil Nadu. The project is divided into four packages, all in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode.

The bidding process attracted 13 participants, including major players such as Afcons, Tata Projects, and Kalpataru Power Transmission. However, J Kumar and Afcons emerged as the sole bidders for all four packages. The packages are delineated from 0.342 km to 20.223 km, with each section serving a specific stretch of the expressway.

The foundation stone for the initially proposed 19-km Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway was laid by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009, with an initial cost projection of ₹1,468 crore. Unfortunately, the project encountered various controversies, leading to its shelving by the AIADMK government due to environmental and alignment concerns.

The revival of the project occurred two years ago when the DMK government returned to power. In May 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed among the stakeholders - Tamil Nadu Government, National Highways Authority of India, Chennai Port Authority, and the Indian Navy, allocating a budget of ₹5,885 crore for the expressway.

According to the revised plan, the 20.6 km corridor will feature a double-decker design, connecting Madurvoyal on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway to Napier Bridge, adjacent to Chennai port's gate number in the city center. The first tier will accommodate light motor vehicles between Koyambedu and Chennai Port, featuring ramps at 13 locations. The second tier is exclusively designed for heavy motor vehicles between Chennai Port and Maduravoyal.

The successful completion of this expressway project is anticipated to enhance the efficiency of cargo movement to and from the port, offering an alternative route through the port's southern end in the heart of the city, as opposed to the existing northern route in Royapuram.

HBL