Shipping minister GK Vasan has called a meeting of senior officials from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Chennai Port Trust, Ennore Port Ltd and Tamil Nadu government to sort out issues hindering two key port connectivity projects in the state.
The two projects are Chennai port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway and Ennore-Manali road improvement, which were slated to be completed by March 2012. However, disagreements between the stakeholders on cost sharing and cost escalation issues have delayed both.
In fact, in case of Ennore-Manali road improvement project, planned in 1998, NHAI has not been able to award the contract after the original contractor National Asphalt Products and Construction Company withdrew.
?The minister wants to expedite the two projects as it is necessary to improve the road connectivity to major ports, even as minor ports like Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone are having a better infrastructure linkage. To this end, he is meeting the parties involved in the two projects early next week in Chennai,? a senior official in the shipping ministry told FE.
Besides senior officials from NHAI, Chennai Port, Ennore Port and Tamil Nadu government, the meeting will also be attended by additional commissioner of police (traffic) and representatives from Municipal Corporation of Chennai, the ministry official added.
The 19-km long Chennai Port-Maduravoyal project was launched last year by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but the delay on the part of shipping ministry in clearing the Chennai Port?s share of land acquisition and rehabilitation cost led to slow progress of the project. The estimated project cost of Rs 1,655 crore includes Rs 310 crore to acquire land and rehabilitating dislocated people and the same is to be shared by the Tamil Nadu government and Chennai Port Trust equally.
The completion of this project would facilitate faster movement of transport vehicles to and from Chennai Port and is likely to reduce the traffic on Poonamallee High Road, which is one of the roads linking the port with the outside facilities.
In case of Ennore-Manali project, which will cover 30-km area, original contractor National Asphalt has withdrawn because the government did not agree to its demand of higher compensation. The project has already witnessed a six-time jump in cost to Rs 600 crore. Now, NHAI has to re-tender the project and the ministry expects the cost to go up further.
