The Hindu : East coast roads work in a few months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

East coast roads work in a few months

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI APRIL 7 . The Rs. 2118-crore Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNRSP), covering roads essentially along the east coast for 732 km, will be taken up in a few months, O. Paneerselvam, Public Works and Highways Minister, told the Assembly today.

Two stretches, from Arcot to Tiruvarur and from Nagapattinam to Tuticorin, would be covered under the project, besides formation of 13 bypasses.

"The preparatory work has been completed and the stage is now set for execution of the project," he said, responding to a query by S. Sivaraj (TMC), who, during the discussion on the demands for the departments held by the Minister, wanted to know when it would begin as the deadline earlier announced had lapsed.

The World Bank, which agreed to fund the TNRSP, completed the project appraisal last month. "Loan negotiations and sanction are expected in April. Thereafter, the road construction activities will be taken up," Mr. Paneerselvam said. This year's outlay for the project was around Rs. 270 crores.

Replying to a debate, he announced that the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs. 24 crores for upgrading irrigation infrastructure and Rs. 10 crores for repairs/replacement of shutters of regulators in 10 districts of the Cauvery basin. Besides, desilting of canals and tanks in the districts would be carried out at a cost of Rs. 30 crores.

Water bodies in Ramanathapuram district would be rehabilitated at a cost of nearly Rs. 24 crores with HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) assistance. The Chief Minister ordered expeditious execution of the NABARD-funded reservoir project in Dharmapuri district. An anti-sea erosion scheme, costing Rs. 90 lakhs, had been proposed for Nadukuppam in Vanur taluk of Villupuram district.

As for the road sector, the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC) had been entrusted with the improvement, maintenance and operation of the Salem-Ulundurpet road and the Dindigul-Coimbatore road.

The Government established the Institute of Highway Research and Management, which would focus on adoption of newer technologies and cost-effective solutions.

A feasibility study had been proposed for laying bypasses for the district headquarters of Ramanathapuram, Theni and Tiruvallore. Also, plans were afoot to examine construction of radial roads in Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil. Totally, Rs. 67.5 crores had been earmarked for the works. A major portion of the improvement works for radial roads leading to Madurai, being executed at a cost of Rs. 112 crores, would be completed in the current financial year.

A proposal had been made for Rs. 53 crores for improvement to accident-prone areas in State roads, while Rs. 7 crores had been earmarked in the draft annual plan for the current year.

Under the Central Road Fund, 30 bridges would be reconstructed in the Cauvery basin districts, and State highways and major district roads, for a length of about 340 km, upgraded.

The Government withdrew permission given to private companies for developing minor ports at Kattupalli (Tiruvallur district) and Manapadu (Tuticorin). Instead, the former would be developed under the BOT/BOOT/BOOST route and the latter as a general port.

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