Encroachments Cleared for Chennai’s Port–Maduravoyal Corridor as Roadworks Pick Up Pace

Bulldozers rolled into Arumbakkam on Thursday as authorities began clearing encroachments along the Cooum River to make way for the long-delayed Port–Maduravoyal elevated corridor. Over 20 structures, mostly commercial buildings occupying riverbanks for nearly two decades, were razed under heavy police protection.

The demolition, carried out by the State Highways Department with support from the police force of 100 personnel, is part of preparations for the ₹5,855 crore, 20.9-km elevated corridor being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Officials said about 200 meters in length and 50 meters in breadth have been reclaimed so far. Over 50 more encroachments in the area are yet to be removed, and the clearance drive is expected to continue through the weekend.

“Pillars for the double-decker corridor will come up in this cleared stretch,” said a highways official. Of the total 650 pillars required for the project, 525 will be constructed directly on the river. Soil testing and piling work have been completed in most upstream sections.

The elevated corridor—meant to link Chennai Port to Maduravoyal—will span 15.5 km over the Cooum and the remaining 5.4 km over land. In the next phases, NHAI plans to acquire private land where necessary.

Along the Poonamallee High Road stretch between Koyambedu and Maduravoyal, NHAI has already cordoned off 10 feet on either side for ongoing construction. Older pillars built in 2009 are likely to be demolished to make way for new structures. Efforts are also being made in downstream regions such as Egmore, Chetpet, and Chintadripet. The corridor will be completed by 2027.

Simultaneously, an accompanying eviction campaign was launched on the Pallavaram–Kundrathur–Poonamallee Road where Karima Nagar encroachments were pulled down. Some unauthorized homes causing a traffic bottleneck were also dismantled, with locals staging protests.The 13.4-km road—vital for connecting Chennai’s southern and western suburbs—is now seeing renewed progress after years of delay. Municipal officials confirmed phased eviction drives will continue in the coming weeks.