CHENNAI: The State government held a crucial round of talks with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Thursday to resolve issues pertaining to project delays in the State, as well as giving nod for the 20.6-km double-decker elevated highway between Chennai Port and Maduravoyal.
A top NHAI official told TNIE various issues, including the Rs 5,000 crore Chennai Port-Maduravoyal project were discussed. It is learnt that the memorandum of understanding for the project could be ready in the next 15 days. “The MoU will be sent to all stakeholders and once they concur, it will be sent to the ministry after which it will be signed,” the official said.
“Initially, the project would cater to the traffic of Chennai Port and thereafter modified for tier-1 local traffic,” the official added. The MoU was prepared during the AIADMK regime, but later underwent changes as suggested by the current DMK government and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. While officials refused to divulge details, it is learnt that NHAI has almost agreed to it. The talks were positive, the official said and further details will only emerge after the ministry gives green signal.
This comes after Chief Minister MK Stalin assured Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari that the State government will extend full cooperation to the NHAI to expedite all projects. Stalin has said many of the current issues causing project delays are legacy issues from the past decade, and his team under the chief secretary are putting in their best efforts to sort them out.
TN has formed five special land acquisition and management units to expedite land acquisition. It has also appointed 18 field units to avoid cost overrun and time run in the acquisition. Reacting to CM’s letter that NHAI has not agreed to valuation fixed by the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition or the arbitration awards given by the District Collectors, putting the process in limbo, the official said NHAI can’t accept the excessively high rate. Iif the award is high, then we have to challenge it,” he said.
“If it is reasonable, we are mostly considering the awards.” The issue over four laning of the stretch from TN-Kerala border to Kanniyakumari has also been resolved. “We have taken it up as a special case and approval is awaited,” he said.
Teams formed
The State has already formed five special land acquisition and management units in Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Madurai and Vellore, to expedite land acquisition process. It has also appointed 18 field units to avoid cost overrun and time run during the acquisition process