CHENNAI: The fate of the two elevated highways proposed to be built on Anna Salai at the cost of Rs 500 crore still hangs in balance as the state government is yet to give administrative sanction to the project.
If the government is serious about the project, which was announced by finance minister K Anbazhagan nine months ago, then the piling work must begin immediately before Metro Rail digs a tunnel through Anna Salai. Once the tunnel is dug, it may not be safe to carry out the piling work.
But officials in the highways department said the state government was still indecisive on the project and that is why no administrative sanction has been given yet. "The government recently wanted a re-feasibility study on the traffic conditions on Anna Salai. That was done and the report was submitted. But the government still seems to be in a dilemma whether to go ahead with the project or not. We hope a clear picture would emerge by the end of this month,'' sources in the department said.
Officials said there was also a suggestion doing the rounds that one long elevated highway could be built on Anna Salai at a level above Gemini flyover, instead of constructing two elevated highways.
When the project was announced on March 20, the highways department had planned to begin the piling work for the elevated structures in September last year. But the government later began to reconsider the matter, as elevated highways could encourage more people to opt for private transport which in turn could affect the patronage for the soon-to-come Metro Rail and also affect the ambience of Anna Salai.
Subsequently, highways minister Vellakoil Saminathan announced at a public function last month that the project was set to take off. But when contacted on Sunday, Saminathan said he had merely repeated what the finance minister had announced in the Assembly.
"Initially, we had proposed to build five flyovers on Anna Salai and later we decided to construct two long elevated highways on the road. Our engineers and consultants will soon give a power-point presentation to the chief secretary, after which the matter will be taken to the deputy chief minister and thereafter to the chief minister,'' Saminathan told The Times of India.
As per the highways department's plan, one elevated highway will be 1.8 km long, beginning at the new secretariat complex and connecting Blackers Road junction, Dams Road-General Patters Road junction and Binny Road-Pattulos Road junction near Spencer Plaza. The other will be 2.9km long which will begin at Anna Arivalayam and connect Eldams Road-Thyagaraya Road intersection, Cenotaph Road junction, Venkata Narayana Road-Chamiers Road intersection and CIT Colony First Main Road junction.
Read more: Govt still in two minds about elevated corridors on Anna Salai - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Govt-still-in-two-minds-about-elevated-corridors-on-Anna-Salai/articleshow/7207525.cms#ixzz19xwkjag1
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