Oragadam indl corridor to get four-lane road

With burgeoning industrial activity around Oragadam, fast emerging as a major auto hub, the state government will soon begin upgradation of the Sriperumbudur-Singaperumalkoil and Vandalur-Walajabad roads, converting them from cramped single-lanes to fourlane highways.
With Oragadam as a junction, the 58-km-long road will be converted initially into four-lane and subsequently six-lane at a cost of Rs 300 crore after acquisition of land.Located about 40 kms from Chennai, Oragadam is proving to be the next auto destination, after Sriperumbudur, with auto ancillaries and electronic spares industries setting up shop here.In fact the area is bustling with industrial activity with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh laying a foundation stone for Rs 470-crore Global Automotive Research Centre a year ago and the Nokia Siemens Network investing Rs 300 crore at Oragadam Special Economic Zone.Moser Baer’s Rs 2,000 crore plant will come up at Oragandam for manufacturing nano materials and photovoltaic products. Komatsu and Apollo tyres have set up their manufacturing units here too. Huge investments have already been pumped into Oragadam which is witnessing a flurry of activity these days.
With the hectic industrial activity in and around Oragadam, the existing single lane is proving to be a major bottleneck, sorely inadequate to accommodate the increasing vehicular traffic especially on Sriperumpudur-Oragadam.As the project requires land acquisition to make the two roads six lane highways, the authorities have decided to make them four-lane first. But, land acquisition process will take place simultaneously. Three firms that won the contract for the highways project signed the agreement a couple of days ago. The firms are already in the process of mobilising men and materials to execute the mega project.Preparatory works to shift utilities like telephone, electricity poles and water pipes, have already begun.Expressing confidence about completing the project in the next 15 months, or by September 2009, an official said there was no major construction work involved in the project except the Oragadam Grade Separator.
Sources in the Tamil Nadu Road Infrastructure Development Corporation that executes the project confirmed that toll would not be collected from road users.With industrial activities hotting up around Oragadam there has been a pressure from business houses to expedite the road work and create a smoother passageway to the industrial hub. Though the contractors have been given 15 months to complete the project, highway authorities are confident of completing the work ahead of schedule.