The Hindu Business Line : Baalu taking up highways lighting tariffs with CMs

New Delhi, July 4 The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, would take up the issue of lowering energy tariffs that States impose on national highways’ lighting arrangements with the Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories.

In a press release issued here, the Ministry said, on the issue of high energy tariff for the operation of these lighting arrangements, Mr Baalu stated that he would take up the issue of energy tariff with the Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories for making tariff rates for this purpose at par with the tariff being charged for installation supplies to the local bodies.

He said this while chairing a review meeting relating to the National Highway projects being executed in and around Chennai. The Minister directed that the high mast lighting should be provided on all important flyovers and interchanges at the national highways.

There is a greater need to give special attention to the safety aspects relating to the interchanges and flyovers being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) within the cities and on stretches approaching the major cities, he said.

With regard to the Chennai projects, the Minister directed the NHAI officials for additional deployment of labour and machines for the early execution of these projects. He also sought fast implementation of the projects of interchange at Kathipara and Padi and improvement at Koyambedu, airport approaches, NH-4 and Chennai by-pass, according to the release.