Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced an additional allocation of ₹1 lakh crore for highway projects in Tamil Nadu during his visit to Thanjavur on 13 September 2024. While inspecting the four-lane Cholapuram-Thanjavur and Sethiyathope-Cholapuram sections of the 164 km Vikravandi-Kumbakonam-Thanjavur bypass, being built at a cost of ₹4,730 crore, Gadkari emphasized the government’s commitment to infrastructure development in the state.
“We have a total of 71 upcoming projects spanning 2,781 km, with an estimated cost of ₹1 lakh crore in Tamil Nadu. The BJP government has already spent ₹2 lakh crore on highway projects across the state since 2014,” Gadkari stated. He further highlighted that ongoing projects were valued at Rs 60,000 crore, while completed projects totalled ₹50,000 crores.
Gadkari also provided updates on the four-laning of NH381A, which covers a 70 km stretch from Vellakoil to Sankagiri at a cost of ₹2,000 crore. The highway is crucial for linking the districts of Tirupur, Erode, and Salem, passing through Sankagiri, Vepathai, Modakkurichi, Erode, Vilakkethi, and Muthur. He noted that the tender for this project will be issued within three months.
National Highway 381A, commonly known as NH 381A, connects NH-81 near Vellakoil with NH-544 near Sankagiri through Erode. The route passes through Muthur, Kandasmypalayam, Vilakkethi (Sivagiri), Modakkurichi, Erode, and Pallipalayam before terminating at NH-544 near Sankagiri.
இதை எந்த ஊடகமும் பெரிதாக பேசவில்லை…
“வெள்ளகோயில் இருந்து முத்தூர் மொடக்குறிச்சி வழியாக சங்ககிரி வரை நான்கு வழி சாலை அமைய உள்ளது . இந்தத் திட்டத்தின் மொத்த மதிப்பு 2000 கோடி.”@nitin_gadkari @BJP4TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/U8qWJOgxMN— Athikadavu Subramaniam (@Athikadavusubbu) September 18, 2024
Acknowledging Tamil Nadu’s cooperation in implementing road projects, Gadkari highlighted the challenges faced in land acquisition, noting that much of the land to be acquired in the state is fertile, which causes delays. He admitted that the bypass project, which began in 2018, was delayed by four years and one month due to various factors, though he refrained from assigning blame.
Expressing satisfaction with the quality of the road, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to delivering time-bound, result-oriented, and corruption-free projects. Gadkari also announced that the third phase of the Vikravandi-Kumbakonam-Thanjavur bypass project in Tamil Nadu would begin soon with a new contractor, after the previous tender, awarded to a company owned by Anil Ambani, was terminated.
(With inputs from TOI)
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