Salem farmers renew protest against expressway

The farmers, who were into a series of agitation ever since the project was announced, have launched a fresh round of protest on Wednesday after Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that the 277-km Chennai-Salem Expressway will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7,500 crore. He also claimed that the NHAI is in the process of seeking environmental clearance and after that land acquisition will be initiated. 

The agitating farmers raised slogans against the state and Union governments by holding black flags in their farm lands across the district. The farmers rued that the proposed corridor will affect more than 15,000 acres of fertile farmlands and forests. The road project has been proposed to run through Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram districts. 

The farmers claimed that they would continue their protests until the government changes its stand over the issue.