In a step towards making the 162-km-long Chennai Peripheral Ring Road a reality, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has included the proposal in its rolling plan for the year.
The semi-circular road project from Poonjeri in Kancheepuram district to Kattupalli in Tiruvallur district is likely to be taken up for implementation shortly.
Sources in the Highways Department explained that the project is likely to cost ₹12,000 crore of which ₹6,500 crore would go for laying the road and the remaining would be required for land acquisition.
The project is in an advanced stage with the detailed project report and the land plan schedule, where owners of lands are identified, having been completed.
On completion, the 200-feet-wide road project will improve accessibility, contribute to mitigating of traffic congestion in the core city, and promote economic development in the regions through which the road would run.
The project was announced in 2012 by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the Assembly.
Existing roads running to a length of 78.6 km, including the Singaperumal Koil-Sriperumbudur Road (approximately 23 km) and Sriperumbudur – Tiruvallur Road (18 km), as well as stretches from Thamaraipakkam to Periyapalayam (12 km) and Puduvoyal to Pulicat (6 km), and another 15 km to Kattupalli would be strengthened and widened as part of the project that would take six years to complete.
Better connectivity
Along with the project, grid roads connecting nearby habitations and major industrial hubs would be chosen and developed so as to provide better connectivity to surrounding areas.
A road grid around the 62-km-long Chennai Outer Ring Road is being developed currently. “If such grid connectivity is not provided, the road would remain isolated and development alongside would happen in a haphazard manner,” said a retired highways engineer.