TENKASI/TIRUNELVELI: Hinting that the plan to construct the Rajapalayam-Puliyarai stretch of the Thirumangalam- Kollam four-lane road will go ahead as planned, State Minister for Highways EV Velu said the administration has written a letter to NHAI for the project's speedy completion. DMK leaders, including MK Stalin and Kanimozhi, had promised an alternate route for the 68 km stretch during their election campaign after farmers in the area raised their concerns.
"Farmers submitted a petition with Stalin seeking an alternate route during the election campaign. Later, they, along with DMK district secretary P Sivapadmanathan, met me in the secretariat and raised a concern that the land acquisition should be performed in an unbiased manner. Based on the meeting, a committee was set up to study their demands. We are now acquiring land according to the report from the committee," the minister said.
Velu added that the tender process for this four-lane road project worth Rs 2,080 crore has already been completed. Responding to another question, the minister said, "We are facing problems to widen the roads laid during the British period and soon after. If we cut trees, environmentalists raise concerns. Farmers are against land acquisition. Defying all odds, the government is widening roads."
He assured that the land acquisition for the bypass roads in Sankarankovil, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli will be expedited. Commenting on the death of a 56-year-old man after the plastering of the Thiruvalluvar two-tier bridge fell on his head, the minister said his death was unfortunate and that renovation works were being carried out at an outlay of Rs 1.75 crore.