Widening of ECR from Kottivakkam to Akkarai to be completed by Jan.

The widening of the East Coast Road (ECR) from Kottivakkam to Akkarai, for a magnitude of 8.6 km, into a six-lane highway, is apt to beryllium completed by the extremity of January.

Highways Minister E.V. Velu said the implementation of the task had been agelong delayed owed to issues pertaining to onshore acquisition, which person present been rectified.

Sources successful the Highways Department said the process of onshore acquisition was astir done for immoderate parts of a 1.2-km stretch. “There were immoderate discrepancies successful onshore records. Those person been acceptable right. The disbursement of outgo to the owners of these onshore parcels volition beryllium taken up soon,” the root said.

The task to widen the roadworthy from Thiruvanmiyur to Akkarai was announced mode backmost successful 2005, on with a token magnitude of ₹10 crore.

However, it did not instrumentality disconnected owed to respective factors, including tribunal cases involving a ample fig of tiny properties and predominant merchantability of lands starring to alteration successful rubric deeds.

Though the task gathered velocity successful 2018-19, erstwhile portions of the roadworthy were widened wherever possible, it came to a grinding halt during COVID-19, and picked up gait conscionable past year.

Residents rise concern

P. Suresh, a nonmigratory of ECR, said the widening had led to vehicles being parked connected the outermost lanes.

“We proceed to restrict driving to the 2 lanes astatine the centre. Before the median was constructed, we were capable to overtake vehicles. But now, that is not possible, and we are driving astatine the aforesaid dilatory speed. What is needed is amended postulation regulation,” helium further said.

Parameswaran of Palavakkam said that since the properties acquired were not successful a consecutive line, the roads were curved, and truthful were the storm-water drains that tally on them.

“The mud piles adjacent the storm-water drain successful Injambakkam person writer increasing connected them. Moreover, the recently constructed footpaths are encroached upon, forcing pedestrians to locomotion connected the carriageway,” helium added.