Land acquisition has begun for the second phase of the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road (CPRR) following completion of the first phase. The CPRR is a 133.64 kilometre greenfield, access-controlled six-lane corridor being implemented at an estimated project cost of Rs 179.58 bn. The highways department is advancing the outer bypass to improve through movement around the city.

The corridor is designed to allow travel at 120 kilometre per hour and to link the Chennai?Tiruchi national highway, Chennai?Bengaluru expressway, Chennai?Kolkata highway, Chennai?Tirupati national highway and the East Coast Road. It will provide direct connectivity to the ports of Ennore and Kattupalli and allow heavy vehicles to bypass congested urban stretches at Minjur and Ponneri.

The work is divided into five phases covering Ennore Harbour to Mamallapuram with phase distances of 25, 26, 24, 27 and 30 kilometres respectively. Sections I to III are supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the OPEC Fund, and ongoing works covering approximately 82 km are being implemented at a cost of about Rs 123.76 bn.

The first phase of road laying between Thatchur and Thiruvallur for a distance of 26 kilometres has been completed and land acquisition for the second phase has commenced, with notifications issued for proposals in Ekkadu Kandigai. Officials have invited written objections at the SIDCO branch office in Ambattur Industrial Estate and are analysing contractor requirements.

The greenfield expressway includes eight big bridges, seven small bridges, two railway bridges, 76 culverts, one subway for all kinds of vehicles, three subways for light vehicles, 11 subways for small vehicles, four lorry parking areas and 10 bus parking areas. The route links industrial clusters at Padappai, Oragadam and Sriperumbudur with the IT corridor and is expected to ease pollution and fuel consumption.