The National Green Tribunal has been informed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that it may consider realigning the East Coast Road (ECR) road extension work at Odaiyur near Kuvathur.

CHENNAI: The National Green Tribunal was informed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that it may take into account realigning the East Coast Road (ECR) road construction work at Odaiyur close to Kuvathur. The central agency’s plans to enlarge the two-lane road between Mamallapuram and Puducherry to four lanes were previously briefly halted by the tribunal since the western side of the existing road was bordered by a lagoon, a no-activist zone.

Due to the low tide, the water on the existing road receded

The High Tide Line (HTL), which is demarcated up to the current ECR road, is a water body that is influenced by tides in the Odiyur lagoon. In fact, K Saravanan, a local fisherman, had complained about this to the NGT not long after road-widening construction started in January. Moreover, The waterbody had yellow marker stones placed inside of it, and the NHAI had begun levelling it. “Due to the low tide, the water on the existing road receded.

The water rises to the current road during high tide and may extend further, “Saravanan stated in his plea. According to him, the intertidal designation of the area where stones have been laid means that no building or other development is permitted there under the law.

NHAI was ordered to investigate other means of building the road without hurting the ecologically vulnerable areas during future hearings after NGT asked NHAI to temporarily halt construction in January. In response, NHAI informed the tribunal on February 17 that it is reevaluating the highway’s alignment on the contentious portion close to the lagoon and has requested two weeks for a resolution.