In order to ease the traffic congestion on the 19 kilometer long stretch between Chennai port and Maduravoyal, an elevated expressway in the city was planned at the cost of Rs. 1,800 crore; it is a Centre-State project. Finding the project alignment not proper on a short stretch of the Cooum River along the Spur Tank Road, the Tamil Nadu government decided to stall the work. In fact, some months back, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) , after having had discussions with the officials of the State, submitted a technical report justifying the project alignment in question. Responding to a public interest litigation in Madras High Court, on Friday, the NHAI filed a counter-affidavit. In it, NHAI made it clear that the stand of the State Government had caused them “huge losses”. The resources already utilized by the contractors lay ineffective leading to great losses. “As per conditions of the agreement, the contractors are eligible to claim compensation for damages due to stoppage of work”. The PWD of the State had directed NHAI to stop the construction work along the Cooum River when the work on the project had already been on for one year. The PWD had pointed out that “piles are driven not in the river banks, but within the river, which is in violation of the condition stipulated in the government order”. But NHAI officials say that the alignment was decided upon taking into account all the vital factors such as geometry, optimum exploitation of the river boundary with minimum acquisition of private land. They argue that the zig-zag nature of the Cooum River in the city makes it impossible to match the alignment with the course of the river bank. What is needed is a smooth alignment that ensures to the maximum an easy flow of traffic at the designed speed.After storm comes a calm; after discussions come an agreement.
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