The State government has obtained approval of the World Bank and the Central government for the second phase of the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project, said Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam, while presenting the State budget for 2013-14 here on Thursday.
Under this project, a total of 1,678 km of roads will be strengthened and widened. “So far, this is the biggest externally-aided project implemented by the State, the cost for the same being Rs.8,580 crore. The project will improve and develop road links having very high intensity traffic,” he explained.
According to sources, though the project was announced in the last budget, the feasibility report was done in August last year, concurrence from Centre being obtained in October, and the in-principle nod from World Bank only in December. The TNRSP has recently floated tenders in five packages for 28 roads which have very high density of traffic, for expression of interest from eligible consultants for preparation of detailed project reports.
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The roads are to be developed under engineering-procurement and construction and public-private-partnership contract modes.
At least six roads around the city, including a portion of the Arcot Road (Kodambakkam- Sriperumbudur Road –SH 113, Madhavaram – Red Hills Road (SH 111), Kancheepuram – Vandavasi Road (SH 116), Pallikonda – Palamaneri Road (SH 127), Sadras-Chengalpet- Kancheepuram-Arakonam- Thiruttani Road (SH 58), and Chennai-Pulicat Road (SH 104) are to be developed under this project.
The Minster also announced that work on four-laning the 33km stretch of the East Coast Road, from Akkarai in Chennai to Mamallapuram would commence in a few months.
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The State government has already sanctioned Rs. 10 crore for acquiring small portions of land for the project, which is estimated to cost Rs. 290 crore. The detailed project report has been completed by the consultants.
Mr. Panneerselvam also said that work to construct four grade separators in the city, that were announced in last year’s budget, at a cost of Rs. 270 crore, would commence this year.
The projects that are to come up at Kaliamman Koil Street– Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Vijaya Nagar junction in Velachery, Kolathur Irattai Eri junction and Kundrathur Road and Santhai Road with GST are in design stage.