Work to construct a trumpet interchange at Poonjeri connecting East Coast Road (ECR) with Chennai Peripheral Ring Road (CPRR) will commence soon. The 1.8 km long, ₹40-crore facility will allow traffic on ECR to get onto CPRR and travel comfortably to Ennore without having to go into the city.
Bala, a cab driver, said this would permit motorists travelling to and from Puducherry and other places, such as Cuddalore, to avoid the traffic in Chennai. “Once CPRR is completed, it will increase connectivity to many places. Imagine a person from Ennore being able to travel to Puducherry by road in just three-and-a-half hours instead of five. It will help save time, fuel, and lessen wear and tear of vehicles,” he said.
Sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said the contractor had enough land to take up the work. “We have obtained the required no objection certificate from the Water Resources Department as the trumpet interchange runs along Perumal Eri’s embankment. It is expected to be completed by November 2024, when the first package of the first phase from Mamallapuram to Mugaiyur is to be finished,” the source said.
