Japan is planning to invest more in Tamil Nadu and enhance its dialogue with the State government for better investment relations, said Akitaka Saiki, Ambassador of Japan to India, here on Thursday.
Addressing a round-table on ‘Infrastructure trend and outlook for Tamil Nadu to be the best', organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he said the Japanese investment in the State in recent years had been very impressive with more than 245 companies setting up base.
Dwelling on the infrastructural inadequacies of the Ennore port, he drew attention to its poor road connectivity, inadequate facilities within the port area and very high port charges.
The State government could take up the matter with the Union Government and also do its part in building access roads to the port. On the lines of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial corridor, a golden necklace could be made by connecting Chennai and Bangalore, he said.
Earlier in the day, the Japanese Ambassador called on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and said Japan would like to have continued dialogue with Tamil Nadu.
In his address, Kou Kimura, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Renault Nissan Automotive India, expressed concern over the delay in completion of the Oragadam Industrial Corridor; construction of general cargo berth ports in Chennai and shortage in other facilities. He called for improving the conditions within the port by studying traffic conditions.
Itaru Ishibashi, Managing Director of Toshiba JSW, said the need of the hour was developing adequate road infrastructure for transportation of very heavy products such as steam turbine generator weighing up to 450 tonnes.
N. Sundaradevan, Principal Industries Secretary, said the government was aware of the infrastructure deficiencies, and the key to getting and sustaining investments was to develop infrastructure.
T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Highways and Minor Ports Department, said Ennore and Chennai Port would be connected through a four-lane road. The work on Oragadam Industrial corridor was on and would be completed by March 2012.
