Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna told the Assembly on Thursday (August 27, 2026) that the government would prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to ease traffic congestion on roads linking Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Mamallapuram to Chennai, and consider implementing the Tambaram–Chengalpattu elevated corridor.
Responding to former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who sought to know whether the government would implement the Tambaram–Chengalpattu elevated corridor, conceived by the AIADMK government, Mr. Arjuna said the former Chief Minister was right in raising the issue. He said the government had already announced, during the demands for grants for the department, a plan to create an eight-lane road between Chennai and Kanniyakumari.
Mr. Palaniswami said the Centre was ready to implement the project, but it had been shelved by the DMK government.
Mr. Arjuna said the government had directed officials to prepare a DPR for the eight-lane road.
“When we met the Union Minister, we discussed the issue for an hour as there is heavy traffic between Kanniyakumari and Chennai. Only an eight-lane road will ease traffic woes for the next 30 years, as the road witnesses a large number of accidents,” he said.
The Minister said that while the distance between Tiruchi and Chengalpattu could be covered in four hours, it takes another three hours to travel from Chengalpattu to the airport.
“Similarly, Bengaluru to Tiruvallur can be covered easily, but reaching Poonamallee is a tough task. The same is the case with the Mahabalipuram-Chennai route. We will prepare a DPR for the roads around Chennai and the elevated corridor between Tambaram and Chengalpattu. We have a meeting with the Union Minister next week, and will take steps to implement the project,” he said.
Published – August 28, 2026 05:12 am IST