Expressway project: SC seeks expert opinion.

The Supreme Court on recently asked the National Highways Authority of India to submit an opinion of experts on flooding of the Cooum river in relation to the Elevated Express Highway Lane (EEHL) project linking Chennai Port and Maduravoyal by a 19-km corridor.

A three-judge Bench made it clear to Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati and Additional Solicitor General P. Wilson that expert opinion was necessary on the possibility of flooding due to the erection of pillars in the middle of the waterway.

Senior Counsel Mukul Rohatgi and Additional Advocate General Subramonium Prasad questioned the Madras High Court's judgment that cleared the project for implementation.

Mr. Rohatgi said, 'We are not against the project. What we are saying is erection of 32 pillars in the middle of the river would result in flooding as it happened in 2005.'

Mr. Vahanvati said pillars were being erected only for a length of 800 metres and rejected the allegation that it would result in flooding.

'We had produced expert opinions in the High Court to show that the erection of pillars would not cause flooding.'

It was in this context the Bench asked the AG to submit the expert opinions and posted the matter for further hearing on March 11.

In its appeal, the State said initial clearance by the Tamil Nadu government was given for the project which was intended to ease traffic congestion.

THE HINDU