Elevated Corridor Planned Between Adyar Bridge and Lighthouse

Highways and PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna announced on Tuesday that an elevated corridor will be developed connecting the Adyar Thiru.Vi.Ka. Bridge to the Lighthouse in Chennai. The announcement was made in the Assembly during his reply to the debate on the demands for grants for his ministry.

As part of the pedestrian and transit improvements in the area, escalators and lifts will also be installed at the Madhya Kailash and Anna University junctions. The state will prepare a Detailed Project Report for the elevated corridor linking the Lighthouse to the Adyar bridge.

Arjuna announced several other infrastructure works for Chennai and surrounding areas. These include an allocation of Rs. 120 crore to renovate roads connecting Central, Kathipara, and Koyambedu in a triangular route, and Rs. 280 crore to improve the Pallavaram-Thuraipakkam road. Chennai's entry points at the East Coast Road, Perungalathur, Poonamallee, and Madhavaram will also undergo improvement works.

Statewide initiatives announced during the session include a phased elevated corridor over the Bay of Bengal connecting Chennai to Puducherry via Mamallapuram, a water metro between Ennore and Mamallapuram, and the expediting of the Kilambakkam-Chengalpet elevated corridor. A feasibility study will also be conducted for an industrial express corridor linking Chennai, Coimbatore, and Thoothukudi.

To improve safety and road conditions, the state government will establish a Tamil Nadu Road Safety Commission and install artificial intelligence-enabled cameras to monitor traffic violations. An allocation of Rs. 250 crore has been designated for road maintenance to prevent potholes and cracks, alongside the preparation of the Tamil Nadu Highways Master Plan-2036.