The company selected through the tender process will have three months to complete the DPR. The report will include land measurements, traffic analysis, soil investigations, a land acquisition plan and an estimate of the project cost. These details will be used to assess the road’s feasibility and prepare the project for subsequent implementation.
About 110,000 people use the ECR every day, making it a major entry and exit route for Chennai. The areas along the road have developed rapidly, with IT companies, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, commercial establishments and residential projects increasing traffic demand. The road is also used by workers, students and people travelling into and out of the city.
At present, the Thoraipakkam-Neelankarai road is the only link between the ECR and OMR. Travellers from Sholinganallur, Siruseri and Kelambakkam heading towards Kovalam and Mamallapuram cover about 12 km, with congestion often making the journey take more than an hour. The proposed connection is intended to reduce the travel time to 10-15 minutes and ease pressure around Sholinganallur.
The project is also expected to encourage more motorists to use the ECR instead of the Chennai-Tiruchy national highway, particularly as the Kilambakkam mofussil bus terminus lies along the latter route. The government has separately allocated Rs. 8 mn for a feasibility study of a 52-km road from Karunguzhi near Maduranthagam through Thirukkazhukundram to Poonchery near Mamallapuram. Once completed, that route would connect travellers reaching Mamallapuram to the proposed ECR-OMR link.