Chennai, Feb 11 (FN Bureau) Assuring Tamil Nadu government’s full supportand cooperation for all the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)projects, Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Saturday urged Union Minister forRoad Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to issue suitable instructionsto NHAI officials to expedite the six-laning works on the Sriperumbudur toWalajapet section of NH-4 and maintain the road stretch in good condition. Pointing out to the Union Minister’s reply in Parliament, the Chief Minister said it was unfortunate that an impression was created that the State Government was not cooperating with NHAI.In a Demi-Official letter to the Union Minister, copies of which werereleased to the media here, he listed out the efforts taken by hisgovernment to support the NHAI projects in the State and said it was unfortunate that an impression that the State Government wasnot cooperating with NHAI has been underlined in your reply in theParliament. Stalin referred to the request made by DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran tothe Union Minister on the floor of the Parliament to improve the condition of the existing road stretch from Chennai to Ranipet (NH-4). This segment provides the vital connectivity from Chennai city andits ports to the industrial clusters in Kanchipuram, Vellore, Ranipet, Hosur and Krishnagiri, he said. “The condition of the road is so bad that I had to plan my recent visitsto a few districts by train.
While the request from our MP was very specific on this important road, we were disappointed with your replywhich was very general and non-committal”, the Chief Miniser said.Bringing to Mr Gadkari’s notice the efforts taken by his Government tosupport NHAI projects in the State, Mr Stalin said the Chennai Port toMadurvoyal Elevated Expressway Project has been revived by extending every possible help, including granting exemption from royalty onaggregates. Similar concessions, which were never given in the past, have beenextended to other major NHAI projects. “Based on the requests fromyour side, the validity of soil/gravel permits has been extended fromthree months to one year on May 9, 2022”, he said. Stating that a Special Cell has been constituted in the State Head quartersto monitor land acquisition for highway projects, Mr Stalin said “permissions from Forest Department are also being reviewed and to the best of my knowledge, no major NHAI project is held up for want of such permissions. “In addition, the progress in land acquisition and borrow earth permissionsby the District Collectors is being regularly monitored at the level of Chief Secretary. The other requests for providing borrow earth free of cost by waiving the material cost, royalty and seigniorage charges are also underconsideration, he pointed out. With all such sincere efforts by the Government, it was unfortunate thatan impression that the State Government was not cooperating with NHAI has been underlined in your reply in the Parliament.
“I assure you that it is not true and we have been trying our best to expedite all major infrastructure projects without discriminating between the project sunder taken by the State and Union Governments”, the Chief Minister said. Mr Stalin said he would be extremely grateful if Mr Gadkari could instruct hisofficials to look into the very specific request raised by Mr Dayanidhi Maran. The road stretch pointed out is the Sriperumbudur to Walajapet section of NH-4 where the six-laning work is in progress. The works have been heldup due to contractual issues between the contractors and NHAI and hencethe condition of the existing road is very bad, he said. It is not out of place to mention that the Hon’ble High Court of Madras in December, 2020 reduced the toll fee at Sriperumbudur and Chennasamudram Toll plaza to 50% due to such poor maintenance. The poor road conditions andthe difficulties faced by road users have caused a major dent in the reputationof NHAI, which otherwise has been doing an excellent job in our State, he added. “In view of the above, I request that suitable instructions may kindly be issued tothe NHAI officials to expedite the six-laning works and maintain the road stretchin good condition”, Mr Stalin said. “I once again assure you that we will continue to extend all necessary cooperationfor your projects”, he added.