CHENNAI : Union State Minister of Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L Mandaviya informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that 66 projects involving widening of the national highways costing Rs 12,400 crore were sanctioned for Tamil Nadu for 2017-18.In response to a query raised by AIADMK MP Senthil Nathan on the widening of the East Coast Road and other newly-approved road projects in Tamil Nadu, the minister said that the projects were being approved depending on the priority, availability of funds, and outcome of survey.
“Three stretches for a length of 150 km costing Rs 5,470 crore were sanctioned for construction on the East Coast Road between Chennai and Kanniyakumari. A detailed project report is being prepared for four stretches for a length of 610 km. The time line for completion of each project is fixed, depending on quantum of work,” he said.
The national highway road works include widening of the Vikkiravandi-Thanjavur NH, Villupuram-Nagapattinam, Sriperumbudur-Walajah, Madurai-Rameswaram, Chennai-Tada road, Tiruchy-Chidambaram, Mamallapuram-Puducherry and Melur-Karaikudi four-lane works. In addition, the Centre has also approved the proposal to upgrade 16 state highway roads into national highways.