The State government on Monday urged Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) authorities to hand over allotment letters for 146 fishing stalls to their owners within the next three days to expedite the work near the harbour's zero gate.
According to official sources, the road widening work on the 1.6-km portion from ChPT zero gate to Kasimedu Fishing Harbour as part of the Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project was hampered owing to delay in allotting newly built stalls to fishermen and relocating Bhavani Amman temple. When the matter was brought to the notice of Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan on Sunday, he immediately directed ChPT Chairman Atulya Misra to issue the orders.
Chairing the second review meeting on Monday, Speaker D. Jayakumar, who represents the Royapuram constituency, said the allotment letters should be distributed in the next two to three days through the president, Kasimedu, Aikkiya Panchayat Sabha. “Let it be a private function. The allotment letters should be distributed immediately as the project is getting delayed unnecessarily and the monsoon is approaching fast. ChPT has to suggest alternative site within a week to house the Bhavani Amman temple,” he told the stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of ChPT, State Highways Department, Tamil Nadu Road Development Company, National Highways Authority of India, Fisheries Department, Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chennai Customs House Agents Association.
Some of the stakeholders said the Speaker also had a discussion on revision in the compensation to be paid to the residents of Cherian Nagar; relocating those residing in NTO Kuppam, shifting transformers and water and sewerage pipelines.
Port users requested Mr. Jayakumar to hold review meetings periodically until the completion of the project. Responding to this, Mr. Jayakumar asked the State Highways officials to hold the next review meeting within a fortnight and to brief him about the progress.
Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Misra said, “Some directions were issued by the State government regarding the issue of allotment letters for the fishing stalls. We have to see the minutes and will abide by the orders as soon as possible.”
