Centre announces Rs one lakh crore worth of projects to TN

Chennai, Nov 23 () The Centre has sanctioned projects worth more than Rs one lakh crore to Tamil Nadu, which includes setting up of three new elevated corridors in the state.
Union Minister Gadkari, who handles the portfolios of road transport, highways, shipping and water resources, told reporters here today the projects also include setting up of an Express Highway between Chennai and Bengaluru.
Similar to the Mumbai-Pune highway, Gadkari said a Chennai-Bengaluru Express Highway was planned at cost of over Rs 20,000 crore.
"It may be over Rs 20,000 crore project because of land acquisition (costs)," he said.
Stating that land acquisition from Karnataka government was completed, he said the ministry was awaiting clearance from the Tamil Nadu government.
"Today chief minister (K Palaniswami) assured me that as early as possible they will expedite the process of land acquisition..," he said.
On the proposed elevated corridors, the minister said the first one is the Tambaram-Chengalpattu elevated corridor at Rs 2,250 crore.
The other corridors were Poonamalee to Maduravoyal at Rs 1,500 crore and Chennai-Nellore at Rs 1,000 crore.
Referring to the number of road accidents in the country, Gadkari said Tamil Nadu ranked high in the number of accidents.
In a bid to reduce the number of accidents, he said the ministry would begin working on accidental spots named as 'blackspots' because they were "road engineering problems" and Rs 2,300 crore has been sanctioned for the purpose.
He said 61 accidental spots have been identified across the country.
Gadkari said the government would also set up 'Bus Ports' with international standards in various parts of the country including Coimbatore and Madurai.
As part of promoting the logistics industry, Gadkari said the ministry was planning to set up logistics parks that would attract investments of Rs two lakh crore.
"One logistic park is being planned in Nemmeli or Mappedu (in Tamil Nadu)", he said.
Referring to the ports sector, he said Tamil Nadu is the only state to have sea front for 1,100 km.
"We will use the three major ports (VOC Port, Kamarajar Port, Chennai Port) for industrialistation that will boost exports of the state," Gadkari said.
Ports in Tamil Nadu including Ennore, Tuticorin along with JNPT, Paradip and Kandla ports would be developed so that the ports can accommodate larger vessels.
The ministry planned to establish a fishing harbour at Poompuhar at a cost of Rs 148 crore and also at Chinna Muttam in the state at Rs 73.5 crore.
Referring to the fishermen issue in Tamil Nadu, he said the ministry has come with a Rs 200 crore scheme in the first phase in which new vessels can be used by fishermen for taking up deep sea fishing.
The vessels can be proceed upto 30 nautical vessels for fishing, he said.
"The Cochin shipyard is the agency which will manufacture the vessels. (The use of vessels) will start a new era particularly in fishing production," he said.
With this initiative, fish exports can also be done, he said.
Earlier, Gadkari and chief minister K Palaniswami reviewed, among others, the status of various ongoing road projects in the state.
Palaniswami said the union minister addressed most of the requests putforth by the government during the review meeting. VIJ BN