Consultants soon for two greenfield projects

Tenders have been called for consultants to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the Chennai-Tiruchi greenfield expressway and an economic corridor between Thanjavur and Thoothukudi.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had recently called for consultants for developing expressways, economic corridors and inter-corridors under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-II, and these projects are among them, sources said.

The present distance between Chennai and Tiruchi is 330 km, and from there to Thanjavur is another 62 km. The new proposal would be 310-km long. Similarly, Thanjavur (starting from Pillayarpatti) - Thoothukudi is 217 km and it will come down to 160 km in the new alignment. Both the alignments aim to reduce travel time between these cities and accidents on the existing roads, the official said.

The consultant will have to establish the technical, economical, and financial viability of the projects that should be at least 4-lanes wide. The DPR would have to include detailed design of the highway, bridges, grade separators, service roads, drains; detailed working drawings and cost estimates; economic and financial viability analyses, environmental and social feasibility, social and environmental action plans.

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