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The Tamil Nadu government will create a statutory body to implement road infrastructure projects in the State by incorporating best management practices across the world. In this regard, a Bill to establish ‘Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority’ will be introduced in the ongoing Budget session. This move aims to facilitate significant investments in road infrastructure development through public-private partnership, says an announcement in the Tamil Nadu Budget 2024-25.
In the Budget Estimates, a sum of ₹20,043 crore has been allocated for the Highways and Minor Ports Department.
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It was announced in the State Budget that under the Chief Minister’s Road Development Programme, road widening projects for 1,262 km length at an estimated cost of ₹2,587 crore have been completed so far, and works to the tune of ₹4,881 crore are under implementation.
To to decongest traffic in major cities in Tamil Nadu, works for the construction of 16 bypass roads at a cost of ₹2,824 crore have been undertaken. Further, to avoid disruption during monsoon season, construction of 1,113 high-level bridges at a cost of ₹2,006 crore have been taken up, out of which 683 have been completed and operationalised. Works for the construction of the remaining 430 high-level bridges are in progress.
Slew of projects
In the coming year, construction of an outer ring road in Sivakasi, ring road in Mannargudi, bypass road in Dindigul, a high-level bridge connecting Trichy and Srirangam, widening of Avinasi to Mettupalayam road into a four-lane road and a bridge across Koraiyar River in Marangiyur – Enathimangalam road in Villupuram district will be undertaken, at an estimated cost of ₹665 crore, under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme .
The stretch between Thiruvanmiyur and Uthandi on the East Coast Road, covering a distance of 14.6 km, witnesses high levels of traffic congestion. In view of this, a feasibility study to explore the possibility of constructing a four-lane elevated corridor will be undertaken in the coming year.
In the Budget Estimates 2024-25, a sum of ₹8,365 crore under Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme; a sum of ₹2,267 crore under Chennai Peripheral Ring Road Project and a sum of ₹908 crore for Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor Project have been allocated.
The Cuddalore port, which has been inoperative for the past 40 years, has now been upgraded with additional facilities at a cost of ₹150 crore. In addition, tenders have also been invited to increase the handling capacity of the port to 35 lakh tonnes of goods per annum. This development is poised to drive significant economic growth in the central region of Tamil Nadu, the Budget read.
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