TN against including Nellore in Chennai-Bengaluru corridor

Says the inclusion distorts concept of corridor development

Tamil Nadu has once again raised objections to adding Nellore, which comes in Seemandhra, to the proposed Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. Inclusion of Krishnapatnam node in Andhra Pradesh in the corridor would adversely affect long-term interests of public sector ports viz., Chennai and Ennore, said chief minister J Jayalalithaa in her memorandum, which she submitted to the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

The Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) project was intended to benefit mainly Tamil Nadu (7 districts), Karnataka (7 districts) and Andhra Pradesh (2 districts, one partially).  The Corridor Influence Area was recently expanded to accommodate Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

Last month, the Tamil Nadu government was asked to identify the node (industrial hub) for the CBIC on a priority basis. Recently, the Prime Minister’s Office, which oversees the project, held a closed door meeting, attended by the top officials from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka along with Japanese industries representatives and officials from JICA, in Chennai. It was decided to create nodes in the first phase at Vasant Narasapur at Tumkur in Karnataka and Krishnapatnam near Nellore, in Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu had suggested Hosur and Ponneri.

A senior official from the state government said the government would zero in on Ponneri in North Chennai, due to its proximity to Japanese industries and its proximity to the seaports of Chennai and Ennore and to the Chennai city.

The central government official said 25 projects had been identified by JICA, in consultation with DIPP and state governments, which would be taken up on a priority basis to decongest Chennai and Ennore ports.

These include mega container terminal at Chennai and Ennore ports, ro-ro berth, multicargo terminal at Ennore port, greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur, four laning of roads from Hoskote, near Bangalore, up to Renigunta, Andhra Pradesh, rail link to Sriperumbudur to Oragadam, Bangalore-Chennai express way, and high-speed rail link between Chennai and Bangalore.

“As of now timelines have been met, integrated master plan for the project will be finalised by March 2015 and the next stage is to prepare a detail project report for the nodes as suggested by the state governments,” it said.

The project will be developed on the lines of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Co-corridor. The PMO will be monitoring this project up to a point and afterwards it will be handed over to an institution, which will do co-ordination and other works with the state governments.

The final second interim report of the Chennai-Bangalore Corridor would be submitted by this June. The draft final report is expected to be ready by December.