A comprehensive urban transportation project to meet the challenges posed by rapid growth of Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) has been undertaken by the Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) with the World Bank (WB) assistance, under Tamil Nadu Urban Development Project III (TNUDP-III).

While administrative sanction for the project has been issued in the G.O.Ms.No.55 MAWS Dept. dated 29-4-2005, the project implementation, phasing and procurement plan for the Chennai's Transportation component of TNUDP-III has been approved in G.O.Ms.No.145 H&UD Dept. dated   29-4-2005.  The project will be implemented over a period of five years.

The Chennai's Transportation component under TNUDP-III is estimated at a cost of US $ 150 m (Rs.675 crores).  Of this the assistance from the WB would be US $ 123 m and the remaining share of US $ 27 m would be borne by GoTN.  The entire amount will be released to CMDA as grant through TNUIFSL under TNUDP-III.  A separate fund called Grant Fund III (GF-III) has been set up and managed by TNUIFSL.

The component essentially comprises the road sub-component implemented through Department of Highways & Rural Works (DoHRW) and the traffic management & enforcement sub-component implemented through Chennai City Traffic Police (CCTP), apart from a few number of traffic studies to be undertaken by CMDA through consultants. 

A Project Management Unit (PMU) for implementation of the Component has been set up within CMDA with Member-Secretary as its Project Director.  The PMU with a Senior Planner, a Senior Financial Analyst, and a Superintending Engineer has become operational since May 2005. 

 Click here to see the list of sub projects pertaining to Chennai's transportation component under the TNUDP-III