In a bid to meet the June 2013 deadline, Shipping Ministry on Friday released Rs 50.50 crore towards equity share contribution for the Chennai Road Port Connectivity Project (formerly known as the Ennore Manali Road Improvement Project).
The cheque for the amount (Rs 43 crore of Chennai Port Trust and Rs 7.5 crore of Ennore Port) was handed over to S R Tholia, General Manager (GM) and Project Director of National Highways Authority of India by Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan. The minister, who is periodically reviewing the progress of the work, said that 32 per cent of work has been completed and the Rs 600 crore project is expected to be completed by June 2013. Both Chennai and Ennore Ports are contributing a total of Rs 284.43 crore which is nearly 50 per cent of the project cost.
“So far including Friday’s contribution of Rs 50.50 crore, a total of Rs 135 crore has already been paid by both the ports and the remaining amount would be paid as and when NHAI would ask for it,” Vasan said.
The minister said land acquisition has been completed and the rehabilitated fishermen are being provided with fishing stalls. “Allotment orders has already been issued for 133 out of 188 shops and the remaining shops will be allotted shortly. The port has spent Rs 2.3 crore for this purpose,” he added.
He admitted that compassionate appointment of dependents of the employees who died while in service is getting delayed as number of vacancies earmarked for such appointments is only five per cent. “Chennai Port will provide an amount of Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 5 lakh as financial assistance depending on the number of years they are waiting for,” the minister said, adding that till now, 663 of the 868 dependents have submitted their particulars for scrutiny and they will be provided financial assistance from next month.