The Union Environment Ministry will soon issue Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the Rs.1,655 crore elevated corridor from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal, said Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan on Tuesday.
Talking to newsmen, on a visit to the Chennai Port Trust (ChPT), he said the formal issue of clearance will enable the BoT operator to complete the financial closure for the project and commence construction of the elevated corridor.
On the Ennore Manali Road Improvement Project, he said that the Shipping Ministry had asked the ChPT to issue a letter of commitment to the National Highways Authority of India towards its equity portion of Rs.139 crore. Meanwhile, the project cost has increased from Rs.180 crore to Rs.600 crore and till date the ChPT has contributed Rs.48 crore.
He laid the foundation stone for the modern Gate Complex at Gate No. 10 costing Rs.2 crore to enable efficient movement of cargo trucks including container trailers from the second container terminal. The existing two-way lane will be converted into four-way lane.
Besides, action has been initiated at Gate No. 1 to open additional gates on the lines of toll plaza to ease traffic congestion. The new facility would accommodate Customs and CISF officials for permitting quick entry and exit of container trucks and lorries.
An area near the gate is also being hardened for parking trucks without obstructing the movement through the gates, he said.
Mr. Vasan's maiden visit coincided with the World Maritime Day and the completion of one-year of operation of the second container terminal.
“The second terminal had a target of handling 1.50 lakh Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUS). However, in the first 11 months, it handled 2.09 lakh TEUs. Till August, ChPT volume increased by 7.36 per cent and container traffic by 37 per cent against corresponding period last year. ChPT stands second in the country in terms of container handling,” he said.
Report sought
Detailed Project Report has been sought for the Rs.180 crore Ro-Ro cum multipurpose berth with a multi-level car park. It will be built on public-private-partnership and completed within a year, he said.
For the integrated dry port and multi-modal logistics hub, the State government has allotted 125 acres at Mappedu on 99-year lease.
