The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government has spent over Rs.15,000 crore in the last four years compared to the mere Rs.4,700 crore spent by the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government, M.P. Saminathan, State Minister for Highways and Ports said on Saturday.
He was speaking at a function organised to lay the foundation stone for works relating to widening and strengthening of the National Highway No.67 into a four lane road from Tiruchi Road Stock Exchange building to Narashimanaickenpalayam at an outlay of Rs.49.69 crore.
Mr. Saminathan said that 61,647 km roads in Tamil Nadu are in maintenance of the State and Central governments and of this 4,873 km are National Highways. In the State, 3,260 km roads are maintained as those with 10 meter width besides converting them into four lanes and six lanes in a phased manner.
He said that steps are on to create a bypass road from Sulur Kangeyampalayam via Neelambur, Kovilpalayam, Narashimanaickenpalayam connecting Mettuppalayam.
In the last four years, a sum of Rs.11,000 crore was spent on upgrading and maintaining 53,476 km roads in addition to spending on non-plan works totalling to Rs.4,034 crore and 2,392 bridges had been constructed.
Western ring road
The land acquisition for the western ring road connecting Mettuppalayam Road with Palakkad Road covering 26 km would commence soon.
There are 17 road over bridges proposed in Coimbatore region across almost all railway level crossings, he added.
Ongoing works
Mr. Saminathan also inspected the ongoing works for widening and strengthening a stretch of Tiruchi Road into a four lane that forms part of NH 67 from Neelambur bypass road to Stock Exchange building.
State Rural Industries and Animal Husbandry Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy presided over the function. Chief Engineer of National Highways T. Sekhar presented a project report.
District Collector P. Umanath welcomed the gathering. Secretary to Government (Highways), G. Santhanam, Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Coimbatore MP, P.R. Natarajan, MLAs M.N. Kandasamy (Thondamuthur), Kovai Thangam (Valparai) spoke.
