Elevated corridor project work in limbo over land acquisition?

CHENNAI: The detailed project report for the much-delayed 20.3km Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project is ready. But, the National Highways Authority of India wants the State government to acquire the lands first after which the project will be implemented.

This will mean that the work is unlikely to start before Lok Sabha elections. Chief general manager Alok Deepankar (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka) said the work is likely to begin after another six months.
This will be possible only after acquiring 1.47-hectare private land. The biggest immediate challenge is acquisition of private land wherein the award could not be passed due to non-release of funds by the State government. The compensation has to be paid as per the new land acquisition Act, which could cost the exchequer dearly. It is learnt that land acquisition cost has to be borne by both the State and Chennai Port.

As per the revised DPR, Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project will now have an additional two km. The project cost is `2700 crore, excluding Land Acquisition (LA) and Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R). Initially, the length of the project that got stalled for the last five years was 18.3km. In the new alignment, the total length of the project is 20.3 km. It is learnt that the Indian Navy and Chennai Port Trust have mutually agreed on alignment,  especially at the land point in the Port.

Naval authorities have agreed to exchange their land which now accommodates their residential quarters with Chennai Port Trust on provision of equal extent of land to enable the alignment of the elevated road which passes through the existing Naval Quarters near Napier Bridge.

Shipping Ministry nod
While the Shipping Ministry has also given in-principle approval to the proposal for alienation of Portland to naval authorities in lieu of taking over the navy land by the port, officials from NHAI said the work would begin only after the entire process is completed