ECR Widening: 85% Complete, Ready by Summer.

The long-pending six-lane widening of the 10.5-km stretch of the East Coast Road (ECR) between Thiruvanmiyur and Akkarai has reached 85 per cent completion, with officials stating that the remaining work is expected to be completed within two months.

According to the Tamil Nadu Highways Department, land acquisition is still pending in certain pockets between Kottivakkam and Akkarai, including areas near VGP, where around 30 houses are yet to be acquired. Officials said negotiations are underway with property owners to finalise compensation and complete the process soon.

“We have issued notices and the owners are being brought into discussions to get the land at an appropriate price. This will be done soon,” a highways official said.

While civil works have been largely completed in most sections, parts of the expanded carriageway remain underutilised due to issues such as illegal parking. In some stretches, vehicles have been parked on the newly added sixth lane, reducing effective road width and impacting traffic flow. Attempts by the department to cordon off portions of the lane using bricks were met with resistance from residents and later withdrawn.

Motorists continue to face disruptions in areas such as Neelankarai, Injambakkam and Vettuvankeni, where incomplete stretches and uneven surfaces are causing congestion and forcing vehicles into narrower lanes.

Commuters have also raised concerns over recurring encroachments along the corridor. One regular user, K. Nanaveethan, said roadside vendors had reappeared in several stretches after being removed during construction. “After Thiruvanmiyur, we could spot several tiffin stalls and juice shops in the carriageway. Because of this, many vehicles are forced to carry on in the first and second lanes only,” he said, adding that congestion builds up heavily on the opposite side from Uthandi towards Adyar.

He also urged authorities to improve traffic management at Uthandi junction and avoid routing vehicles through a U-turn on Kalaignar Karunanidhi Salai, calling it a longer detour that worsens delays.

Meanwhile, officials said preparatory work has begun for a proposed ₹2,100 crore elevated corridor along the same coastal stretch. Soil testing is underway at around 400 locations for the 13-km six-lane project between Thiruvanmiyur and Uthandi. The proposed toll corridor, to be managed by the state highways department, is expected to further augment capacity along the busy coastal route once completed.