The state highways department on Thursday demolished around 30 houses on its land along a road near the Kollidam police checkpost in Srirangam. Officials said the road which connects Chennai Trunk Road and Trichy-Chennai NH will be widened and work on the same would be completed within 20 days.
The road was to be widened as a part of the four-laning of Chennai Trunk Road at a cost of 7 crore. “While work between Thiruvanaikoil and the Kollidam police checkpost has been completed, work is yet to start on the connecting road ,” said a highway official.
“There were 83 houses constructed on the highways department’s land abutting the road. Of them, 30 houses had to be demolished to widen the road around 200m. We had asked inmates of the 30 houses several times to vacate the place, but they did not do so,” the official said.
As the obstructions were cleared, the official said the pending portion of the widening project will be completed within 20 days.
“The widening of the connecting road is essential as motorists use the road to leave and enter Srirangam via Chennai Trunk Road. Initially, a retention wall would be constructed before starting the widening work.”