Baalu urges Antony to transfer defence land on exchange basis

Chennai, June 27 (UNI) Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu has urged the Defence Minister to transfer the defence land on exchange basis for three highway projects in St Thomas Mount and Pallavaram cantonment in the city.

In a letter to Defence Minister A K Antony, a copy of which was made available to the media here, Mr Baalu said the Tamil Nadu government had issued an order in March this year for the transfer of 8.26 acres of state government land in exchange for 4.23 acres of defence land for the purpose of highway projects.

Even after the issue of the government order, the defence authorities had not yet transferred the land and were not even permitting to resume the works, which were held up for a long time, he said.

Mr Baalu also drew the Defence Minister's attention to the fact that the land for transfer was selected after joint inspection by the officials of defence ministry and the state government.

He sought Mr Antony's personal intervention in the matter and requested him to arrange to issue ''enter upon permission'' to carry out the civil works, till the final decision was taken in this regard.

UNI