Highway works worth Rs 11k cr underway for TN-Pondy connectivity: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said highway works worth Rs 11,000 crore were underway for Tamil Nadu-Puducherry connectivity.

Dedicating to the nation Rs 35 crore road-over-bridge on NH 45-A at Puducherry, the minister said this will ease traffic congestion.

Inaugurating the one-kilometre long Road-Over-Bridge across Railway Level Crossing on NH 45-A at Arumparthapuram, Puducherry, built at a cost of Rs 35 crore, the minister said the project is envisaged to bring relief to public from traffic jam resulting in saving of time and fuel, safe commutation, reduction in pollution, closure of level crossing, and unhindered passage of railway traffic.

The Road Transport and Highways Minister said the work under progress is in an aggregate length of 287 km for an amount of about Rs 11,000 crore for Tamil Nadu - Puducherry Connectivity.

The four-laning of NH-45 shall provide unhindered connectivity of Puducherry with Karaikal port as well as the road which is leading up to Kanyakumari. This will also give impetus to agriculture and fishing, he said.

During the last six years, the minister said Rs 70 crore has been spent on national highway construction in Puducherry. These include the Mahabalipuram to Mugaiyur section of NH-332 A, Mugaiyur to Marakkanam section of NH -332 A, Viluppuram to Puducherry section of NH -45A, Puducherry to Poondiyankuppam section of NH -45A, Poondiyankuppam to Sattanathapuram section of NH-45A, and Sattanathapuram to Nagapattinam section of NH-45A.

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh said the ministry is trying to provide full connectivity of Puducherry with Tamil Nadu and other regions of the country.

He said the work on strengthening of 8 km long road from Madagadipet state border to Ariyur Village at an expenditure of Rs 9 crore is likely to be completed by the coming December.

He further said detailed project report preparation is in progress for Marakkanam - Koonimedu Section of NH 332 A and Puducherry Bypass, construction of Grade separator at Rajiv Gandhi Square, and construction of Grade separator at Indira Gandhi Square, at a tentative cost of Rs 1,354 crore.

Lt Governor of the UT of Puducherry Kiran Bedi complemented the central government for fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the UT. She cautioned against the cost over-run of delayed projects, as it causes further delay. She proposed conducting refresher courses for road construction engineers, including PWD officers.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Minister for Public Works A Namassivayam also addressed the event.