National Highway 205 (India)(old numbering)

National Highway 205 marker

National Highway 205
Route information
Length: 442 km (275 mi)
Major junctions
From: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
To: Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Location
States: Tamil Nadu: 82 km
Andhra Pradesh: 360 km
Primary
destinations:		 Tiruttani, Tirupathi
Highway system
← NH 204NH 206 →

National Highway 205 (NH 205) is a National Highway in India. NH 205 connects Chennai in Tamil Nadu to Anantapur via Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh. Starting from Poonamalle high road/NH 4 in Kilpauk(New Avadi Road) Chennai it joins Madanapalle at NH 219.

Route

Chennai -12 km- Padi -12 km- Avadi -22 km- Tiruvallur -22 km- Kanakamma Chatram -16 km-Tiruttani -15 km- Nagari -15 km- Puttur -24 km- Renigunta -11 km- Tirupathi, Pileru, Kalikiri, Vayalpad, Madanapalle.[1]

Before Central government announced this route as National Highway, almost all the public misunderstood that the route after Thiruvallur will go through Poonamallee to connect to Chennai. Even now 50 % of them are still assuming same. The reason behind the wrong assumption was as follows;

1) 99% of buses operated from Tirupathi and Thiruthani to Chennai are plying through Thiruvallur and Poonamallee. 201, 97, 97D, 97G, 97M, 97N, 97PP, 97S, 164B are few route nos running on this route. There were very few buses being operated from Thiruthani to Chennai through Thiruvallur, Avadi, Ambattur. 97C, 72B are few route nos running on this route, and now these services have been stopped running on. The main factor of the buses not going through Avadi is that it has enough train facility to reach Chennai Central, Parrys in time. So they don't prefer to go by buses in that stretch.

2) Before Central Government announcement, there was clear information on the milestones and signboards about the distances in Thirupathi - Thiruthani - Thiruvallur stretch, directing public to Chennai through Avadi. Few major places where distance to Chennai through Avadi mentioned are Thiruthani ByePass, Kanakamma Chatram, Thiruvallur to Chennai are 84km, 68km and 46km respectively. When public see the distances mentioned to Chennai in Thiruvallur town, they find two different measurements one is 46km and 47km. First one indicate the distance through Avadi route and second one through Poonamallee route. Since both distance are more or less same and also based on the buses flow, public misunderstood that the distance mentioned to Chennai is for Poonamallee route.

Road widening

Road widening Project status (June 2010) NHAI sources confirmed the awarding of Thiruninravur - Thiruttani - Tirupati (city) section, a 127 km stretch of NH-205 to be Four Laned to Transstroy -OJSC Consortium (JV) Indian-Russian,[2] but the 22 km stretch from Padi to Thiruninravur is not going to be widened since local municipal authorities in Ambattur, Avadi, and the District authorities of Tiruvallur are unwilling to clear away encroachments. Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam which supports thousands of Encroachment shops on highway land sent hundreds of telegrams to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to stop the road-widening project which would have benefited millions of residents in Padi, Ambattur, Thirumullaivoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram, Thiruninravur and Tiruvallur.

The Indian Express and The Hindu sources cites that 2000 Enroachments shops managed to get priority over millions of residents suffering with everyday accidents and deaths with Government of Tamil Nadu and the road widening project in the 22 km stretch is officially DEAD. NH-205 portion from Padi to Thiruninravur is only 20 ft in some stretches due to encroachments and a max of 30 ft motorable through the entire stretch.[3] Notable junctions like Canara Bank in Ambattur is only 20 ft.[4] Accidents on this road have been on the rise since 2007 and fatalities are a common occurrence in this road. In 2009 alone, over 100 people have died in the stretch from Padi to Thiruninravur and 400 people injured.[5]

NHAI sources have confirmed that the stretch from Padi to Thiruninravur is to be maintained by Chennai Public Works Department and NHAI is not accountable for that section as they have not received the support of clearing encroachments or proper drainage systems from Ambattur and Avadi Municipalities.[6] The Hindu sources cites that local authorities in Ambattur and Avadi are supportive of the thousands of encroachment shops and are not cooperative to NHAI for the road widening project for the 22 km stretch from Padi - Thiruninravur which would benefit millions of residents along the Chennai Tiruvallur High Road corridor.

NHAI sources say that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to extend the 22 km stretch has been unsupported by Local authorities in Tiruvallur District and they have only agreed to see if the road can be extended to a 32 ft width road wherever possible as they are unwilling to clear away the encroachment shops along the 22 km stretch.[7] NHAI sources have also confirmed that the 126 km stretch from Thiruninravur to Tirupati (city) has been entrusted to NHAI on May 2010, but the 22 km stretch from Padi - Thiruninravur which has been much awaited by the residents along the NH-205 corridor including Kilpauk, Villivakkam, Padi, Ambattur, Thirumullaivoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram, Thiruninravur and Tiruvallur for the past 10 years is officially DEAD due to unsupportive local authorities unwilling to clear encroachment shops on highway land. The 127 km stretch is expected to be completed in 30 months by December 2012.[8] The original width of MTH road (as per 1970 land records) is between 100 feet which has been fully encroached. In Chennai City, Padi, Korattur, Mogappair, Ambattur, Thirumullaivoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram and Thirninravur have over 33% of Chennai Population, but CTH road, which is the lifeline only has about 20–30 ft of road. Encroachments needs to be totally removed and this road to be made 100 ft or a total 30 km flyover road with 6 lanes (3 lanes on each side) with exits on all major intersections seems to the only solution in offering, rather than fighting these encroachment traders. Hindu article has stated that the local population is ready to start agitation against encroachment traders for encroaching government land and suggesting ideas that road shouldn't be extended beyond 80 ft.[9]

Latest Development September 2012

This road is the officially the only road which has had ZERO repairs and/or maintenance work with no median, traffic signals and street lights. Tamil Nadu Highways department gave this 23 km stretch to NHAI for widening to 200 ft 6 lane highway with 4 service lanes, but unfortunately, the encroachment traders fought their way with agitations to stall this project. Lakhs and Lakhs of residents who are paying taxes are left to suffer along this MTH road. Also, the 2nd plan of elevated toll road again was again dropped, as road side encroachment traders feared loss of business as residents would take quick ride on the elevated road and not have to drive through the narrow roads as they can get business.[10]
Either way, not sure what projects were ever implemented either by TN highways nor by NHAI, MTH road according to official CMDA records is now being shown as a 45meter road (or 150 ft)

In a little less than two decades, Tamil Nadu’s vehicle population has increased by 730% and majority suffering population is lakhs and lakhs of people living in the western part of city, particularly Ambattur, Thirumullaivoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram and Annanur and especially people driving in motorcycles. The National Highways Development Project (NHDP) created by NDA government which wanted to extend this road was dropped mercilessly by ruling UPA government to favour the encroachment traders on this road, who have brought the road down to as less as 20 ft in many areas from 100 ft, according to Tamil Nadu Government land records of 1970. In the narrow MTH road, the vehicles literally crawl during the peak hours (It takes 15 minutes to travel in NH 8 in National Capital Delhi for 23 km and in NH 205, it takes 2 hours to travel the same 23 km) and with unmotorable roads not repaired since 2005, the riders suffer from acute backache because of this. Out of 446 two-wheeler riders deaths in chennai city, more than 50% are in this 23 km stretch of MTH road, due to encroachments on both sides of road making road as small as 20 ft, unmotorable roads with no lights, no median and no traffic lights. Indian Express article quotes Stuck between officials, MTH Road to remain terrible for foreseeable future [11] Deccan Chronicle quotes a doctor in Chennai mentioning that, In one day they get at least four to five patients who have backache because of long hours of riding two-wheelers in MTH road. With both sides of the roads encroached severely and central government dropping the plan to extend the road because of its inability to deal with encroachments, the taxpaying residents of the western part of the city are suffering with no end in sight.

In 2013, the government announced that the 22-km stretch of the road between Padi and Thiruninravur would be widened into a six-lane facility. It was announced that in the first phase, the road would be developed into a four-lane facility at a cost of 980 million. However, some traders' federations, including the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai, are against the proposal to make it a six-lane road. The Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam has been instrumental in protesting and making life miserable for all residents in this 22 km stretch for the past 10 years. The DMK government succumbed to the pressures of these traders and dropped the plan to making this road a 200 ft road. The ADMK government led by Dr. J Jayalalitha has lent ears to the sincere needs of lacs and lacs of people living in this stretch and despite the threat from Traders to protest has gone ahead with the proposal to widen the road. The residents of Padi, Ambattur, Thirumullaivoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram and Thiruninravur are praising the Chief Minister for her courage and support to the people, rather than going with these traders who have encroached on public property for the past 20 years. According to official CMDA records, this road is supposed to be 32 meters wide or 100 ft wide, but currently it is only 10–12 meters or 30 ft wide in many stretches[1]

Comparable crowded road with markets and other stuff in Kerala. Only difference is government removed all encroachments and set up 6 lanes with proper pedestrian sidewalks vs MTH road with full of encroachments and 20 ft only. Vellayambalam-Sasthamangalam Road, Trivandrum Kerala

Technical Data

Project in Brief

Project stretch is a part of NH-205 Section which connects Tirupathi, Tiruthani and Chennai. It passes through major towns such as Tirupathi, Renigunta, Puttur, and Nagari in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and Tiruthani, Thiruvallur and Thiruninravur in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. In spite of considerable deficiencies in highway geometry, due to good pavement condition and absence of any alternate route, a substantial percentage of Passengers through traffic prefer the Stretch.

References

  1. ↑ Google maps
  2. ↑ TRANSSTROY- TIRUPATI-TIRUTHANI-CHENNAI TOLLWAYS PVT LTD
  3. ↑ CTH Road from PADI to Tirupathi (NH205) needs urgent widening
  4. ↑ NDTV report on NH-205 road condition
  5. ↑ Highway to Hell
  6. ↑ Work on 6-laning of MTH stretch to kickstart soon
  7. ↑ Chennai suburbs developing, amenities lagging behind
  8. ↑ NHAI
  9. ↑ Caution Bumpy road ahead for 30 km
  10. ↑ 1.75 crore vehicles crowd Tamil Nadu roads and Officials insensitive to woes of MTH road commuters
  11. ↑ Stuck between officials of Central Government, State Government and Ambattur/Avadi Municipalities, MTH Road to remain terrible for foreseeable future
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