Centre proposes double-decker flyover to decongest Chennai: Nitin Gadkari

The Centre has proposed to build a double-decker flyover connecting Chennai Port with other vital locations in Tamil Nadu at a cost of ₹5,000 crore, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

This would reduce traffic congestion in the city to a great extent, he said.

The Union minister of road transport and highways, who was on a private visit to the city, said work on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway would also commence soon.

During his brief interaction with Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Gadkari suggested that the flyover be designed as a double-decker one by bringing in international consultants in place of four lanes as planned earlier.

"Once the project is cleared, for next 20-25 years it would resolve the problem for Chennai", he said.

Noting that the project cost would escalate to ₹5,000 crore from ₹3,100 crore as planned earlier, Gadkari said he suggested to the chief minister that the GST for steel and cement would be exempted for this project enabling the state government to save ₹500 crore.

"Another ₹1,000 crore will be borne by the Central government and NHAI," the Union minister said.

Asked when the project was likely to be completed, Gadkari said, "It is up to the chief minister to clear the proposal."

About the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway project, he said land acquisition was completed, but the Covid-19 pandemic delay commencement of the project.

Referring to his last visit to the State, Gadkari said he had then requested CM Palaniswami to partner in the development of a multi-modal logistics park in Chennai.

"The state government has agreed to provide land near Chennai that is near Port Trust and (they are) planning to bid it out before January 2021," he said.