Elevated corridor to come up on Mount Road
The State Highways department has invited bids for the construction of an elevated corridor above the metro tunnel on Mount Road. The elevated corridor will be 3.2 km long and have four lanes and the width of the flyover will be 34m. Footpaths measuring 2m will be present on both sides.
The flyover will allow vehicles to drive up to a speed of 80 km/ph and cut travel time between Teynampet and Saidapet to under 10 minutes. The budget for the project is Rs 525 crore.
The project will commence after clearance from the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) which will carry out a study to ensure that the metro rail tunnels will not be affected by the construction of the elevated corridor.
Source: The New Indian Express
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Restoration of channels by WRD to commence in January
The Water Resources Department (WRD) will undertake the restoration of a total of 28 channels that drain rainwater into the rivers across the city. Temporary measures are being taken up ahead of the northeast monsoon but the larger project is set to begin in January next year. The project to restore the channels will cost Rs 821.44 crores.
The project will cover channels that empty into the Adyar, Cooum and Buckingham Canal and span a length of 85km. Some of the channels that will be rejuvenated include the Otteri Nullah, Korattur Canal, Pammal drain and Adambakkam canal.
The work undertaken will include desilting, widening, creation of boundary walls, removal of encroachments and waterfront development in some parts. The project is expected to increase the carrying capacity of the channels by 20% – 40%.
Source: The Hindu
Train stations in Chennai division to be made disabled-friendly
As many as 17 stations that fall under the Chennai division of the Southern Railways will be made disabled-friendly. The assurance comes following concerns raised by the Directorate for Welfare of the Differently Abled, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and NGOs working in the space on the state of accessibility of railway stations.
It was stated that the railway stations including major stations such as Chennai Central and Egmore were not disabled-friendly as they did not have tactile pathways, accessible toilets and ramps.
The efforts to make railway stations inclusive will see the installation of reflective strips on stairs, braille indicators, sign language videos, portable ramps and improved wheelchair facilities. The upgrades will cover all stations and rectify design errors.
Source: The Times of India
Water quality testing for Chennai
The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is set to amp up water quality testing in the city. The improvements to testing will be made before the onset of the northeast monsoon. There will be an increase in the number of samples that will be tested.
The samples that will undergo testing will be more than doubled from the daily number of 300 in the run-up to the monsoon. The water samples will be tested for total dissolved solids, chlorine levels and issues related to contamination.
The areas where residents complain of issues will water quality will see increased testing. The water quality will also be tested in the tenements of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB).
Source: The Hindu
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Independent agency to tow vehicles in Chennai
An independent agency will be made in charge of towing vehicles from no-parking zones in the city if the proposal in the draft parking policy is to be accepted by the state government. The policy will necessitate changes to local civic laws that will allow for third-party agencies to take over the towing duties.
The suggestion was mooted in the draft plan as the traffic police force which currently carries out the towing is short on manpower and resources.
Unauthorised parking has been growing in Chennai and the authorities have been unable to regularise on-street parking owing to various development works such as the construction of the metro rail.
Source: The Hindu
[Compiled by Aruna Natarajan]