The Highways Department has set a fresh deadline for the completion of work to widen the East Coast Road (ECR) from Thiruvanmiyur to Uthandi. The project to make the road evenly into six lanes width is to be now finished by April next year.
Minister for Highways E. V. Velu, who inspected the road on Monday, directed officials to speed up the work to widen the 15-km long stretch that is one of the city’s gateways. Officials explained that the widening has been taken up in portions as storm water drains are also being constructed as part of the works.
The stretch has a total of 17 traffic signals with the average distance between each of them being 0.82 km. Over 69,000 vehicles take the road daily and it takes anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour to cross the localities. A total of 347 small streets and roads run from the ECR leading to local traffic mixing with long-distance travelers.
The Minister also told presspersons that the proposal to construct an elevated corridor in the stretch starting from West Avenue Road in Thiruvanmiyur via LB Road junction was under the active consideration of the State government. On approval, it would be constructed within 18 months time, he added.
