16.8.13

Somewhere in Chennai....

The state highways department started razing properties in Selaiyur, near Tambaram, as part of preliminary work on the Eastern Bypass Road.
The department began the process of demolishing houses, shops and other establishments for Phase 1 of the project, which will involve widening a 4 km stretch of Camp Road.
The Eastern Bypass Road was conceived to ease traffic congestion on Velachery Main Road and Grand Southern Trunk Road. It will connect Rajakilpakkam on Velachery Main Road and Perungalathur on GST Road.
Once the 9 km long road is ready for use, motorists heading from the IT Corridor towards Chengalpet and Trichy will not have to pass through crowded Tambaram.
Highways officials said they were demolishing structures on land acquired by the department from Camp Road Junction in Selaiyur to Tiruvanchery. A highways official said several of the properties being demolished were being illegally held as the occupants had all been paid compensation.
Earlier, residents of the Sadhanandapuram-Aalapakkam stretch near Tambaram had asked the highways department to modify its plan for the proposed road. They refused to part with their land unless the alignment was changed. People in the area were against traffic being diverted to Tambaram, which they said was too congested, and proposed that the road should lead to Vandalur instead.
Highways officials, however,said any modification would be impossible. They said the project is part of CMDA’s second master plan and its plan was drawn up based on traffic studies.
The bypass road will be 50 metres wide and pass through Madambakkam, Mappedu, Agaram, Tiruvanchery and Nedunkundram.
The state originally allocated 200 crore for the project. Civil work on the stretch will cost around 30 crore.

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