Chennai Roads Undergo Cold Milling for Smooth Re-Laying

The Chennai Highways Department has started cold-milling several important highways, such as Chennai–Ennore Road, Lakshmi Puram–Puzhal Road, and Velachery–SRP Tools Road. To ensure a smoother and safer driving experience, the process entails scraping off the old road surface before re-laying fresh asphalt.

According to officials, approximately 150 meters of road surface is milled daily. The department is ensuring that milling is done end-to-end to prevent sharp edges that could pose a risk to two-wheeler riders. “When milling is carried out in patches, we take extra care to minimize inconvenience to motorists,” said a department source. The process follows a court directive to prevent excessive road height increases due to repeated re-laying.

While the milling process progresses at 150 meters per day, the paver machine can lay around 400-500 meters daily. This means that re-laying typically happens a few days after milling. “Though the tender period is for a month, we aim to complete the work in just three to four days wherever possible. Smaller portions of re-laying can lead to multiple joints, which can be inconvenient for motorists,” the source added. The work, including milling, cleaning, and re-laying, is primarily conducted at night to minimize disruptions to traffic.

The project, costing ₹10 crore, will also cover roads in Vanagaram, Ambattur, Puzhal, Madhavaram, and Redhills.

Residents have raised concerns about road safety during the process. Venkatesh, a Thiruvanmiyur resident, suggested placing warning signs ahead of milled sections to alert motorists. “Larger vehicles speeding through these stretches make riding difficult for two-wheelers. The uneven surface already affects balance, and reckless speeding adds to the danger,” he said.

With these upgrades, the Highways Department aims to improve road quality while ensuring smoother traffic movement across Chennai.