NHAI to Build Three Pillars for Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Corridor Inside Mayor Sundara Rao Park
The National Highways Authority of India will construct three pillars for a 21-km elevated corridor project inside Mayor Sundara Rao Park in Egmore, requiring the removal of 28 trees and temporary takeover of park land. The ₹3,570 crore project is expected to complete by November 2027, with NHAI claiming it will restore the park and has planted 26,000 saplings as compensation elsewhere. Residents and park users have objected, citing the loss of green space used daily by hundreds of people and requesting a change in alignment to preserve the park.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to take over a section of Mayor Sundara Rao Park in Egmore for construction of three pillars supporting the 21-km-long double decker Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Corridor. The project, valued at ₹3,570 crore, will require removal of 28 trees and saplings, with NHAI officials stating the park will be temporarily occupied during construction and restored afterward. NHAI has planted 26,000 saplings elsewhere as compensation for the removed trees. However, residents and regular park users have raised significant objections, noting that hundreds of people use the park daily for walking, exercise, rest, studying, and recreation. Park users have requested officials to change the project alignment to preserve the green space and have expressed concerns about potential damage to the park's rainwater harvesting system. The contractor has already marked the required space for the pillars, and the Greater Chennai Corporation has received a formal request letter from NHAI.
What's missing
The sources do not provide details on: the specific timeline for park takeover and restoration; the exact location and size of the affected area within the park; alternative alignment options that were considered; the environmental impact assessment findings; or the formal approval process and which authorities granted permission for this land use change.
What different sources said
- The HinduCenter
Three pillars of Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Corridor to come up inside Mayor Sundara Rao Park
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