Karaikudi-Ramanathapuram NH project gets Centre's nod

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday gave its approval for the much awaited 2-laning of national highway (NH) 210 between Karaikudi and Ramanathapuram, which stretches for 80 km in Tamil Nadu.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 530.33 crore including Rs 76.21 crore towards land acquisition (LA), rehabilitation & resettlement (R&R) and pre-construction, according to sources.

The project, under NHDP Phase III, will be built on build operate and transfer/ design build, finance, operate and transfer basis. The concession period will be for 15 years.

The government would provide the viability gap funding, which would not exceed 40 per cent of the total project cost excluding the cost of LA, R&R and pre-construction.

The project will be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through the private sector concessionaires, for which the bidding process would commence soon. NHAI has already completed the pre-qualification of the bidders and the second stage of bidding process is in progress, said a senior government representative.

The total investment by the Tamil Nadu government under various phases of the National Highway Development Project (NHDP) is in the order of Rs 33,000 crore and so far nearly around Rs 13,000 crore has been invested.

Union Minister for Shipping, Road & Transport TR Baalu said Tamil Nadu was served by 4,675.5 km length of National Highways of which, 3,261 km had been taken up by the NHAI for four-laning under NHDP.

Works in two-packages on 77-km length under the port connectivity project between Chennai and Ennore ports and from Tirunelveli to Tuticorin port are in progress. The total investment for the port connectivity project is Rs 800 crore.