TN to take up road projects worth Rs 2,300 crore under CMRDP: Minister E V Velu

The Tamil Nadu government has proposed to widen important state highways connecting district and taluk headquarters to four-lane covering a length of 150 km and two-lane for a distance of 600 km under the Chief Minister Road Development Programme (CMRDP) this financial year, state Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports E V Velu informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

This second phase work will be taken up at an outlay of Rs 2,300 crore, the Minister said.

During the Budget 2021-22, it was announced that important state highways connecting district and taluk headquarters will be widened to four-lane covering a length of 2,200 km while 6,700 km will be widened to two-lane in the next 10 years based on the traffic intensity under CMRDP - a newly launched pioneer programme to widen roads based on connectivity and traffic intensity.

Further, four-laning of roads in Hosur corporation in Krishnagiri district will be taken up at estimated cost of Rs 300 crore to promote the growth of the production units in the district, the Minister said while winding up the debate on the demand for grants to his department.

A detailed project report (DPR) with techno-economic feasibility will be prepared at a cost of Rs 4 crore to improve the Thoothukudi port connectivity linking Chengalpattu, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukottai and Manamadurai for a distance of 80 km.

This project will reduce travel time by facilitating quick mobility, Velu said.

A similar study will be taken up costing Rs 4 crore to improve the Thoothukudi port connectivity for a distance of 85 km connecting Coimbatore, Pollachi, Palani, Attur and Kariapatti.

The Minister said about 435 high-level bridges in lieu of causeways will be constructed under the Chief Minister All Season Uninterrupted Connectivity Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 1,105 crore.

As part of an initiative to ease traffic congestion in the state's capital, the government would construct an elevated road from Teynampet to Saidapet at a cost of Rs 485 crore, construct a flyover at Kundrathur for Rs 322 crore, widen the railway bridge at Padi at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore and establish escalators at four places in Chennai at a cost of Rs 56 crore, the Minister said while making a slew of announcements.

Separate DPRs will be formulated at a cost of Rs 45 lakh to construct an elevated road from the Lighthouse to Guindy, and for Rs 25 lakh for a flyover at Officers Training Academy (OTA) and a pedestrian bridge at Koyambedu.