An 18.4 km-long elevated corridor is set to be constructed between Urappakkam (Kilambakkam Terminus) and Chettipunyam (Mahindra City) along the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road near Chennai.

Spearheaded by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Rs 3,300 crore project will feature a 29-mtrs.-wide structure incorporating India’s first integrated bus rapid transit system (BRTS) corridor. The previous 25-mtrs. width was revised after a central review. “The earlier alignment had six lanes. The additional lanes would be used in case of emergencies. These lanes would also be the BRTS corridor,” a senior official stated. Elevators will be placed every two km to provide access to bus shelters.

The corridor will integrate with the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road and feature entry/exit ramps at key junctions. Designed to reduce congestion and accidents at 14 blackspots, the steel structure will run along the median of the ChennaiTiruchi Highway.