The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Tamil Nadu authorities to reconsider using Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai in Chennai for idol procession and immersion. Both locations fall within Coastal Regulation Zone-I (CRZ-I) and may not be permissible. The NGT identified six idol immersion locations in Chennai; two fall within CRZ-I. The bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava directed authorities to split these locations and attach them to any of the other four designated sites. The NGT appreciated state government efforts on environmental awareness for idol immersion and directed further sensitization on protecting coastal zones and marine ecosystems. The direction followed status reports from District Collectors, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and Greater Chennai Corporation. The state government agreed to convene a meeting before immersion to discuss and report back. Matter posted to September 16.

• Chief Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone for the 13 km Thiruvanmiyur to Uthandi elevated corridor in Chennai.
• Estimated project cost: Rs 2,100 crore.
• Travel time between Thiruvanmiyur and Uthandi is expected to fall from one hour to 10 minutes after completion.
• Legal hurdles were cleared after the Madras High Court disposed of Dilip Buildcon Ltd’s petition against award of the contract to KNR Construction Ltd.
• Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority (Tansha), formed in 2024 to implement PPP road projects, will execute the project.
• The project was announced in the 2025-26 Assembly budget.
• Alignment: from ECR-Lattice bridge junction in Thiruvanmiyur to Uthandi.
• Design: four lanes, 17.25 metres wide, 5.5 metres high; some sections will be expanded to six lanes.
• Junctions to be improved: Akkarai, Neelankarai and Lattice bridge road.
• Facilities include road sign boards, reflecting studs, noise prevention walls and LED lights.
• The stretch has about 1.1 lakh users and around 69,000 vehicles on the 15 km Thiruvanmiyur-Uthandi section.
• There are 17 traffic signal junctions and 347 minor roads connecting to ECR on both sides.
• Road expansion also includes stormwater drains on both sides, each 5 feet wide, and a central median 4 feet wide.
• A roundabout will be built at Akkarai to connect ECR with Old Mahabalipuram Road.
• The corridor will have five entry and exit points: LB Road junction, Thiruvanmiyur RTO, Neelankarai, Injambakkam and Akkarai.
• The road serves IT companies, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, commercial establishments, residents, IT workers and students, and is used by people moving in and out of Chennai.

The OMR-ECR Link Road project in Chennai has resumed progress. The project, launched in 2020, is 1.4 km long and aims to connect OMR and ECR roads. Property acquisition involves 90 private properties, with 58 buildings in Neelankarai and Sholinganallur to be razed.