NHAI readies DPR for ₹2,000 cr project

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has almost completed Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the much delayed Port-Maduravoyal elevated four-lane corridor in Chennai, planned at an investment of about ₹2,000 crore, said official sources, claiming that it has been almost 11 years since the government proposed the project but it remains incomplete to date. Union surface ministry was also keen to take up this project. Sources further added that measures are underway to take up the project on fast-tracked basis. Since there will be no change in the blueprint already prepared by officials, construction work will not be delayed and NHAI is holding a meeting in which stakeholders like union surface ministry, state highways and national highways will sort out issues and initiate construction work as quickly as possible. It may be recalled that the project was taken up in 2009, however, the state government did not provide environmental clearance certificate, as a sizeable number of pillars were passing through the Cooum River bed in the state.