The Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC) will soon renew the surface of 13 km of the East Coast Road (ECR) between Akkarai and Mamallapuram. This renewal covers three stretches: 3 km from Akkarai to Uthandi, 5.3 km from Kanathur to Kovalam, and 4.7 km from Kovalam to Mamallapuram. An official source said, "Though it is only 30 km long, if you take both sides that is the left hand side and right hand side, it comes to 60 km. Of this, we are taking up 13 km for renewal in this phase." The work has been awarded to a contractor who will start soon and complete it within a month. The same source added, "These sections require renewal as they have withstood traffic for over five years. If they are not relaid, they will get damaged and develop cracks or potholes. We want to prevent that and want the road to continue to provide a smooth riding surface to motorists. The road surfaces are usually renewed once in five years. We will ensure that the road is cold-milled, where the surface is scrapped off before re-laying." ECR is a well-known route for travelers heading to Mamallapuram and Puducherry. Biking enthusiast K. Parthasarathy said, "The quality of the road should not be compromised in any way. It should be maintained as it is. After the work to relay the top is completed, road markings, reflective stickers, cats eye buttons and signages should be re-installed carefully." Regarding road widening, an official stated, "The present volume of traffic does not require such width. Perhaps when the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road and the proposed road from Karunguzhi, both connecting Poonjeri, are completed, the traffic will increase. We may widen it in 3 to 4 years." Local Vijayakumar requested moving the toll plaza at Uthandi further away. He said, "A lot of local residents end up paying toll to use the road, which is unnecessary. The plaza is actually located inside the limits of the Greater Chennai Corporation, and as a rule, toll plazas are not supposed to be located inside city limits. Toll plazas on OMR were removed citing this rule."