Mon Mar 10 22:45:55 UTC 2025: **Chennai, March 11, 2025** – A long-delayed 9.3-km Tambaram Eastern bypass project in Chennai is stalled due to a lack of forest clearance for a 1.1-km stretch. The project, which aims to connect Perungalathur on GST Road to Rajakilpakkam on Velachery Tambaram Road, has been in the works for over two decades. The delay is causing significant inconvenience to residents, who are forced to use the congested GST Road.
The Highways Department requires approximately 650 meters of forest land and an additional 350 meters for a grade separator. While the department claims to be ready to pay compensation, the Chengalpattu district administration and Forest Department are yet to grant the necessary permissions. The Forest Department cites ongoing revenue department formalities and the need to process land exceeding one hectare. A former Highways Department engineer suggested a temporary permission could expedite the process.
Despite the setback, the Highways Department has awarded a ₹24 crore tender for laying 1 km of road and is completing the blacktopping of a 4-km stretch to Camp Road. Permissions have been secured from the Water Resources Department for the section running along a waterbody in Rajakilpakkam, and encroachment removal is underway. The bypass was initially conceived in the CMDA’s 1979 Master Plan, with the state government allocating ₹1 crore for land acquisition in 2004. The project’s continued delay highlights bureaucratic hurdles hindering crucial infrastructure development in the city.
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