Baalu to take up with CMs high energy tariff for highways

New Delhi, Jul 3 (UNI) Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu today said he would take up with the Chief Ministers the issue of high energy tariff being charged for installation of lighting arrangements, including high mast lighting, on highways and flyovers being constructed by the NHAI in various cities.

Mr Baalu suggested that tariff rates for lighting arrangements on the flyovers and interchanges should be brought at par with the tariff being charged for similar supplies to the local bodies.

''I will take up with the Chief Ministers of states and Union Territories the issue of high energy tariff in order to rationalise it,'' he said.

The minister was chairing a review meeting here relating to the National Highway projects being executed in and around Chennai.

Recognising the need to improve safety aspects of flyovers, he said the National Highways Authority of India should give special attention to install state of the art lighting arrangements on flyovers and interchanges being constructed by the NHAI within the cities and on stretches approaching the major cities.

Mr Baalu directed that the high mast lighting should be provided on all important flyovers and interchanges at the National Highways being developed by the NHAI.

With regard to the Chennai projects, he asked the NHAI officials to deploy additional labour and machines for the early execution of these projects.

With a view to achieving accelerated implementation of the projects of interchange at Kathipara and Padi and improvement at Koyambedu and airport approaches, NH-4 and Chennai by-pass, Mr Baalu directed the Road Transport and Highways Secretary Vijay Singh and NHAI Chairman Pradeep Kumar to undertake a joint inspection of the project areas with the top management officials of the contracting firm.

''Supervision consultants and the state government officials should resolve the issues relating to the execution of projects and pending problems responsible for the delay,'' he said.

The Minister also directed NHAI authorities to have more frequent reviews of their projects to ensure that slippages could be plugged in time and projects were executed within the stipulated timeframe.

UNI