CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday inaugurated a slew of projects of the Highways and Minor Ports Department by video conferencing. The projects included 21 new bridges, three new rail over bridges, five foot-overbridges, a bypass road and seven office buildings, together costing `188.56 crore.
The biggest project inaugurated was the `36.07 crore rail over bridge at Pattaravakkam in Thiruvallur district. The bridge is aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Padi, Ambattur Idustrial Estate, Kallikuppam, Soorapattu, Puzhal, Red Hills and other surrounding areas.
She also inaugurated a new `12 crore bypass for Erode, two new bridges each in Thanjavur, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts, and one new bridge each in Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Erode, Dindigul, Tiruchi, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Theni, Tirunelveli and Tiruppur districts. These bridges together cost `140.49 crore.
Jayalalithaa also inaugurated eight new buildings for the Highways Department. Built at a cost of `2.47 crore, three of these buildings have been constructed in Madurai district, two in Karur district and the other three in Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari districts.