The Tamil Nadu government, along with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Southern Railway, has initiated various road, bridge and railway projects with an investment of over Rs 7,500 crore.

The move is aimed at promoting southern districts of the state as a favourable investment destination. These districts include Madurai, Theni, Dindugal, Sivaganga, Ramnad, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar and Kanyakumari.

Similarly between April 2006 and November 2008, 148 bridges were constructed in various parts of the southern districts with an investment of Rs 143 crore while another 344 bridges are under construction with an investment of Rs 179 crore.

In 2007-08, four rail over/under bridges and river bridges were constructed with an investment of Rs 31.80 crore. Currently, eight similar projects worth Rs 164.10 crore are under construction. The state highways department has sanctioned Rs 69.55 crore for four more bridges, said Allaudin.

According to him, the Asian Development Bank is also planning to lend around Rs 135 crore for a 128km road project in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. Under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme and Nabard, the government would lay 884 km road in these districts at an estimated cost of around Rs 65 crore.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved Rs 42.46 crore for various bypass projects. The ministry has also approved in aggregate 1,445 km of road to be taken up under phase III of the National Highways Development Project, said Allaudin.

Currently, NHAI is executing 627.76 km road projects worth Rs 3,440.04 crore in southern districts. The authority has so far constructed 72 flyovers and is planning to construct another 72 with a road length of 575 km.

On the rail connectivity projects, Allaudin said the Southern Railway had initiated various projects some of which are under implementation. These projects include gauge conversion between Manamadurai and Virudhunagar, similar programme for Dindugal–Palaghat and Pollachi–Coimbatore, Quilon–Tirunelveli–Tiruchendur and Tenkasi–Virudhunagar. This apart doubling of lines between Villipuram and Dindugal and Madurai to Dindugal is also on the anvil.

“The total project cost would be a little over Rs 2,700 crore for laying 957 km of railway line,” he added.

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