PUDUCHERRY: Seeking the support of the Central government in strengthening infrastructure, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Monday urged Union Minister for road transport Nitin Gadkari to extend assistance in expediting the land acquisition process towards the expansion of Puducherry Airport runway.
Speaking at the PM- Gati shakti southern zone conference in the virtual mode, he said that a runway length of 3,330 meters is ultimately necessary for fulfilling the needs of improvement to Puducherry Airport, which is an emergency need of the Airport. At present runway length available in Puducherry Airport is 1,502 meters and it is necessary to extend it by an additional length of 1,828 meters.
While thanking the central ministry for the ‘Elevated Corridor Project’, approved by the Union Minister at a cost of Rs. 450 Crores to be taken up between the most vulnerable junctions of this Puducherry Region between Rajiv Gandhi Square to Indira Gandhi square, he urged him to extend the corridor further to Puducherry -Cuddalore border at Mullodai.
The present traffic intensity between Puducherry and Cuddalore Stretch is of enormous intensity with day-to-day traffic congestion and fatal accidents. In order to relieve the public from this crisis, the need for an ‘Elevated Corridor’ from one among the most vulnerable junction in Puducherry region, Marapalam Junction up to the state border at Mullodai is an urgent necessity, he said.
Further stating that devotees from other states of India as well as from other parts of the world come to the temple town of Karaikal to worship Lord Saneeswara, he urged the Union minister to examine the feasibility of establishing a helipad at Karaikal and helicopter service to and fro from Karaikal. As no Airport facility is available in Karaikal Region, Helipad service and Airport infrastructure to this pilgrimage town of Karaikal is need of the hour. Establishing this facility will be of great help to devotees coming from all over the world, said Rangasamy.
Besides, the extension of the railway route linking Karaikal and Cuddalore via Tharangambadi and Sirkazhi will facilitate connectivity between Puducherry and Karaikal. The railway system in Mahe region has to be further improved with more train links.
The feasibility of creating railway connectivity to the ECR industrial corridor from Chennai to Puducherry via Mahabalipuram will be beneficial for the better prospective and logistic growth of this U.T of Puducherry, said Rangasamy.
He also urged the Union minister to start a ferry service between Karaikal and Puducherry and improvement of the infrastructure facilities both in Puducherry and Karaikal Ports through central assistance.
The extension of the existing railway connectivity from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to Yanam region of this Union Territory to connect Puducherry and Yanam directly is the need for an hour, he said.