VILLUPURAM:Union Minister of State for road transport, highways and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan on Saturday said the Central government has allotted Rs 390 crore for road development works in Tamil Nadu and was awaiting the State government’s approval for converting the two-way ECR lane into a four-way lane.
Speaking on the sidelines after inaugurating a two-day Passport Seva camp organised by the Chennai regional passport office at Villupuram collectorate, Pon Radhakrishnan said, “The central government has allotted Rs 390 crore for various road works across Tamil Nadu under the central road development scheme. It has also been planned to lay a four lane East Coast Road (ECR) from Mamalapuram to Kanyakumari, and the project has been sent for the State government’s approval. Works would start once the centre gets approval.”
The minister also demanded stringent action against the agent who took the Tamil labourers to Andhra Pradesh. He said, “No action has been taken against the red sander smuggler, who took the Tamil labourers to Andhra Pradesh for cutting trees. They have links across the country and are cutting trees in all the states using a large network of people. Severe action should be taken against these smugglers.”
Radhakrishnan also took exceptions to Karnataka’s move to construct check dams in Mekedatu. When asked about the infant deaths in the district, Radhakrishnan said that he came to know that it was the levity of doctors that caused the death of eight infants in addition to seventy more, who are critical at the Government Medical College Hospital in Mundiampakkam. The Tamil Nadu government should take severe action against those responsible after an inquiry, he added.
On the number of passport applicants from the district, the central minister said, “Among the four lakh applications received at Chennai regional passport office every year, 25,000 are from Villupuram district. During this two day camp, 400 passports would be issued along with other services.”