The Hindu : National : Most of the work done: Baalu

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Tuesday, Oct 02, 2007
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Most of the work done: Baalu

Special Correspondent

T.R.Baalu

CHENNAI: Is Adam’s Bridge/Ram Sethu intact? If not, how much of it has been affected by the dredging?

Union Minister for Shipping and Surface Transport T.R. Baalu on Monday hinted that most of the work had been done. “The Court had ordered [earlier] that work on Adam’s Bridge part had to be stopped. What does this mean?” he asked and answered: “This means that [excavation] work was going on in the Adam’s Bridge area.”

Speaking at the venue of the fast here, Mr. Baalu said the Adam’s Bridge area was a huge one and the deepening was only in an area of 300 metres, which did not even constitute one per cent of the area of the bridge.

“If one slice of an orange is taken, it will not make a difference. If you lose one tooth, it does not make a big difference. The rest you have to understand,” he said and added that he could not say anything more in the current circumstances.

Later speaking to The Hindu, he said the project was inaugurated last year. Work had been going on since then in many stretches. This included the Adam’s Bridge part too.

Asked how much of the work was completed in the Adam’s Bridge area, he said he was not aware of the exact details of progress in any particular area. “Work has been going on for a long time. You can draw your own conclusions. We have stopped work based on the directions of the Supreme Court.”

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