Chennai-Salem Greenfield highway will be a "game changer":CII

: The Confederation of Indian Industry, Tamil Nadu, has termed the proposed Chennai-Salem Greenfield Highway as a "game changer" which would enhance economic growth of the central districts in the state.

The project would work towards the creation of a balanced regional development ecosystem with focus on Tier II cities like Salem, CII-TN, Chairman, M Ponnuswami said.

"The project would be a game changer in enhancing the economic growth of central districts of Tamil Nadu", he said.

Noting that the expressway would reduce the cost of transport, particularly for manufacturing industries, in a statement, he said "the project would also give a fillip to agro-processing industries".

Salem being a major node for the project have great potential in bringing new investments into the State as a Defence Corridor project was also planned, he said.

In the budget for 2018-19, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced that two defence industrial production corridors have been planned, the first of which would link Chennai-Bengaluru, connecting several industrial clusters.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami recently informed the Assembly that the Rs 10,000 Crore 277.3 km long eight lane Chennai-Salem Greenfield project under 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' programme would stimulate growth like the Mumbai-Pune, Delhi-Agra expressway projects.