Baalu reviews road projects in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu here today reviewed the progress of projects being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India in Tamil Nadu and impressed upon the NHAI officials to ensure their timely completion.

There are 31 projects costing Rs 9650 crore presently in progress in Tamil Nadu covering a length of 1788 km.

The projects are in the Hosur-Kaniakumari section of North-South corridor between Tindivanam and Trichy, Trichy and Didigul, Trichy and Madurai, Karur and Coimbatore, Coimbator and Mettupalayam, Salem and Kerala border.

In addition, the four-laning projects between Madurai and Tuticorin, Puducherry and Tindivanam, Thanjavur and Trichy, Trichy and Karur, and Salem and Ulundurpet have also been undertaken.

In and around Chennai city, two projects -- Chennai bypass and improvement of access to Golden Quadrilateral by providing free flow facilities -- are also under construction.

Of the 31 projects, 16 projects are expected to be completed during the calendar year 2008. Two of these 16 projects are expected to be completed by July (Thumipadi-Salem and Lalapet ROB), three (on North-South corridor) by November and 11 (six on North-South corridor, four between Trichy and Madurai and one in Chennai city) by December.

The remaining 15 projects are likely to spill over to calendar year 2009, of which six will be completed during the first quarter itself. The remaining nine projects will spill beyond March that year.

Mr Baalu impressed upon the NHAI officials and the consultants to monitor the projects and ensure that these are completed as per the schedule.

He noted that the projects suffered some setbacks on account of heavy rains, resulting in the quarries becoming inaccessible. In particular, the projects in Chennai city were badly affected.

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