The New Indian Express 30.08.2010
Stalin launches first phase of ORR project
CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the first phase of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to be developed along the periphery of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The ORR is aimed at easing congestion in the city.Launching the project’s first phase, covering 30 km from Vandalur (NH 45) to Nemilicheri (NH 205), Stalin said the idea of building an ORR was first mooted during the DMK government’s regime in 1967 when Chief Minister M Karunanidhi held the Public Works and Highways portfolios. Several highways on Chennai’s periphery, like the Tambaram-Chengelpet, Poonamallee-Bangalore, Avadi-Tirupati and Gummidipoondi-Kolkata, were not linked then.
“It was he [Karunanidhi] who set up the Madras Area Transportation Study panel to go into the transportation requirements and ways to decongest the city,” he pointed out and added that the committee had later come up with the proposals like the ring roads.
The Inner Ring Road had come up later and the Chennai Bypass Road from Tambaram to Maduravoyal was launched in 1997 by Karunanidhi. The Chennai Bypass Road will soon be extended till Puzhal and work is progressing fast. The total cost of the ORR project is Rs 1082 crore. In the second phase, the 32 km stretch from Nemilicheri to Minjur will be completed.
CMDA vice chairperson Susan Mathew said the land acquisition process for phase I of the ORR was over. “For the second phase, land acquisition will be completed in a few months and the ORR shall be a valuable addition to the infrastructure.”
Other projects
Stalin also laid the stone for a bridge over the Buckingham Canal on Sadayankuppam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 16.50 crore. Similarly, stones were laid for a bridge over the Cooum, linking the Grand Western Trunk Road (Rs.16 crore) with Mogappair and an overbridge at Porur (Rs.35 crore). The Deputy Chief Minister also inaugurated a road over bridge at Pattabiram, and one between the Pattabiram and Tiruninravur railway stations. In addition, he declared open the new Avadi Municipal building besides three other bridges in Tiruvallur district.
