Baalu condemns killing of fisherman By S L Navy.

Perambalur, Sep 29 (UNI) Union Shipping and Road Transport Minister T R Baalu today strongly condemned the killing of a fisherman Murugan from Rameswaram by the Sri Lankan Naval personnel.

Talking to mediapersons here after inspecting the ongoing four laning road project, he said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had already written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard to ensure the safety of Indian fishermen venturing into the sea.

He said the Sri Lankan Government should take suitable action to prevent such unwarrented incidents.

Mr Baalu said he would meet Dr Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi on October 1, on behalf of the Chief Minister and seek their intervention to put an end to the killing of Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy.

Asked about the controvertial Sethu Samudram Channel Project (SSCP), Mr Baalu said most of the work had already been completed.

He declined to go further into the details on the SSCP, as the case was pending before the Supreme Court.

He, however, said the Union Government would complete the project at any cost, soon after the Supreme Court's verdict.

Replying to a question, he said efforts would be made to upgrade the Perambalur-Manamadurai road as National Highways.

Stating that the ongoing four laning works between Villupuram and Perambalur was going on in full swing, he instructed the officials concerned to complete the project within the next three months.

Mr Baalu also inspected the additional bridges under construction across river Cauvery and Coleroon near Tiruchirapalli, under the Golden Quatrilateral Road project.

Both the bridges were expcted to be completed by December this year, he added.

Replying to a question, he said the ongoing railway overbridge at Lalapet on the Tiruchirapalli-Karur national highway was on and should be completed by December.

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