State govt formulates minor port development policy

Chennai, Aug 21: The Tamil Nadu Government has formulated a minor port development policy to facilitate establishment of port-based thermal power plants by providing exclusive port facilities to import coal, naptha, oil and natural gas, State Highways Minister M P Saminathan told the Assembly today.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said minor ports would be developed through public private participation.

He said the government would encourage private participation in construction, development of ports, jetties through a well set out transparent procedure and to consider each proposal on its own merits.

The government would also take steps to maintain transparency, to invite competitive bids through global tenders and promote projects on the principle of BOOT (build, own, operate and transfer), he added.

Mr Saminathan said, though state highways are very important for connectivity, certain stretches still remained as single and intermediate lane. Under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme, action would be taken to upgrade and widen all these stretches as double lane in a phased manner, he added.

It was proposed to widen and strengthen about 680 km of state highways this year and a sum of Rs 275 crore had been allotted for these works in the current financial year, he added.

He said action would be taken to make all single lane stretches of Major District Roads (MDR) as two lanes or intermediate lane in a phased manner, depending upon the importance of road and traffic flow.

During this year, 722 km of roads would be improved for which Rs 265 crore have been allotted, he added.

The Minister said 1,667 km of other district roads would be taken up for improvements for which a sum of Rs 201.75 crore have been allotted this year.

Mr Saminathan said during 2006-07, it was proposed to take up laying of 20 roads, eight bridges and other works at a cost of Rs 30.10 crore in Chennai city. Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, proposals for taking up infrastructure works like construction of Road Over and Under Bridges, radial roads, flyovers, providing link roads, pedestrian subways and junction improvements in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore cities have been sent to the Centre through Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.

The total cost of the projects to be implemented in the next ten years is Rs 10,786.60 crore and soon after receipt of approval for these schemes, infrastructure works would be taken up in a phased manner, he added.

He said the Centre has issued administrative sanction in the current year for undertaking construction and reconstruction works of 265 bridges and strengthening six roads at a cost of Rs 120.34 crore with loan assistance from NABARD. An allotment of Rs 48 crore have been made in the current year under the scheme, he added.

He said the Government would take steps to improve and update the accident data collection and analysis system for scientific research and enhance mechanism for sharing data among user departments.

It would also introduce a system of road safety measures -- identifying accident prone areas and taking remedial action, implementing design and structural techniques.

UNI