CHENNAI: Minister for Public Works EV Velu announced in the assembly infrastructure works in assembly constituencies across the state will be carried out at a cost of Rs 1,093 crores under Ungal Thoguthiyil Mudhalamaichar (UTM) scheme.
In his reply during a debate on demand for grants to his department, Velu thanked CM MK Stalin and Finance minister Palaivel Thiaga Rajan for allocating Rs 17,421 crore as capital expenditure to the highways department, which accounts for 40% of total capital expenditure.
He further elaborated on the works carried out under the Chief Minister’s Road Development programme ( CMRDP) in 2021-22, widening of 255.02 km length of important state highways to four-lane carried out at a cost of Rs 2,123.64 crore. He said 147.90 km of state highways were extended to four-lane at a cost of Rs 1,406.71 crore in the year 2022-23. “Besides, a total of 1,163.55 km length of roads were converted into a double lane in the last two years at a cost of Rs 1,668.29 crore,” he said.
Speaking on the measures taken to prevent road accidents, the minister said that based on the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and High Ways, a total of 291 black spots, where frequent road accidents took place, were identified and were rectified to ensure safe travel.
Elaborating on the details of the bridge works with the support of NABARD, the minister said a total of 158 bridge works have commenced at a cost of Rs 812 crore. “Construction of 863 high-level bridges to replace the ground-level bridges at a cost of Rs 1,548 crore are going on,” he said. Speaking about the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway, he said the works will commence this year itself.
