Elevated corridor on NH5 likely if T.N. waives GST on construction materials

There is still a glimmer of hope for the construction of a 10.4 km long elevated corridor from Madhavaram to Nallur toll plaza. Sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said that the project will be revived if the State government waives its share of Goods and Sales Tax (GST) for the proposed project.

“Around 60% of the cost will go towards materials attracting GST, of which 9% is not much in terms of taxes. The state government wants this project and hence this will be their contribution to the same. There will be very little land acquisition, if any,” said a source.

In February this year, in a meeting held by the Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways with the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, NHAI agreed to take up the elevated corridor project subject to waiver of the GST component by the State. Accordingly, an official source explained that the implementation procedures have been finalized along with the update of the DPR.

Billakuppam Village Residents Welfare Association president S. Suresh Babu said he had appealed to various authorities, including the President of India, for the construction of a corridor. “We hope that the project will be implemented soon and completed on time. There are many traffic junctions in the area, which slow down vehicular movement significantly. Local vehicles are struggling to get space among the thousands of heavy vehicles using the National Highway,” he said.

A retired highways department official said that instead of an elevated corridor, it would be better to construct three flyovers at Puzhal covering Retteri Road, Kavankarai and Sothupakkam junction covering Revathy Stores junction.

“An elevated corridor will lead to unnecessary toll plazas and the cost will be much higher than three flyovers. Since nearly 60% of vehicles using the road are two-wheelers, an elevated corridor will be of no benefit. Whereas flyovers at these locations will help reduce congestion at five junctions.”