The selected consultant will have three months to complete the DPR. The study will assess land requirements, traffic movement, soil conditions, the land acquisition plan, engineering feasibility and the estimated project cost before construction decisions are taken.
At present, the Thoraipakkam-Neelankarai road is the only direct connection between the OMR and ECR in this stretch. Travellers from Sholinganallur, Siruseri and Kelambakkam travelling towards Kovalam and Mahabalipuram cover about 12 km, with journeys taking more than an hour during heavy congestion. The proposed road is expected to reduce travel time to between 10 and 15 minutes and ease pressure around Sholinganallur.
The ECR is used by about 110,000 people daily and serves as an important entry and exit route for Chennai. Demand has increased as information technology companies, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, commercial establishments and housing projects have expanded along the corridor. Traffic towards southern Tamil Nadu also uses the Chennai-Tiruchy national highway, particularly around the Kilambakkam mofussil bus terminus, with congestion often worsening during festivals and weekends.
The department expects the new connection to shift some vehicles towards the ECR, whose planned expansion into a 6-lane road will increase capacity. The wider road-planning programme includes a feasibility study for a 52-km road between Maduranthakam and Mamallapuram, for which the government has allocated Rs. 8 mn. The immediate steps are to appoint the DPR consultant and establish the alignment, land acquisition requirements, technical conditions and likely budget.