Of the 20 check-posts in the State four would be modernised at a cost of about Rs.100 crore each along the State boundary. The preparatory works for the ones at Pethikuppam and Hosur are underway, said K.N. Nehru, Transport Minister.
Even the tender process for the Pethikuppam check-post has begun, Mr. Nehru said while speaking at the function organised for the inauguration of the Regional Transport Office building along with a testing track built at a cost of Rs.1.65 crore at Karaiyeravitta Kuppam, about six km from here on Tuesday.
Mr. Nehru said that the high-tech check-posts would have 10 lanes and facilities to check overloading, drunken driving and other transport related documents. Provisions would also be made for the personnel of the forest and sales tax departments.
It was estimated that each of these check-posts would fetch annual revenue of Rs.250 crore, besides helping to safeguard the roads that would otherwise get damaged by overloaded vehicles and bringing down the accident rate.
Initially, four places were identified for the location of these check-posts at Hosur, Pethikuppam, K.V. Chavadi and Kaliyakaval. The overall maintenance of these check-posts would rest with the Transport Department.
It was proposed to merge the 100 ambulances stationed on the highways with the “108” ambulance services and also to increase the quantum of compensation to road accident victims.
In the past four years 34 new RTO offices were built at a total cost of Rs.39 crore, thus, taking the total number of RTOs to 98.
Soon 74 Motor Vehicle Inspectors would be appointed and the smart card system would be introduced in all the RTOs across the State, Mr. Nehru added.
Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam said that despite the hike in prices of petroleum products the transport department had not increased the fare structure that remained the lowest in the country.
Transport Commissioner M. Rajaram, District Revenue Officer S. Natarajan, G. Aiyappan and Saba Rajendran, MLAs, Municipal Chairman T. Thangarasu and others participated.
