Chennai: The DMK government today claimed it
played a "vital role" in acquiring land for projects being
completed by National Highway Authorities of India in Tamil
Nadu, by acquiring more than 4000 hectares of land for NHAI
since the party came to power in 2006.
"Till March 2006, 709 hectares has been acquired and handed
over to NHAI. The Tamil Nadu government has paid special
attention to land acquisition, with 4131 hectares being
acquired and handed over between April 2006 to March 2010, "
Highways and Minor Ports Minister M P Saminathan said.
In the policy note for the year 2010-11 tabled before the
Assembly today, the minister said more than 5,000 hectares
would be acquired and handed over to NHAI under Plan-I for
various projects.
On the 19 km elevated road work connecting Chennai port
with Maduravoyal, the foundation stone for which was laid by
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009, he said the state
government and Chennai Port Trust have agreed to share an
estimated cost of Rs 258 crore for land acquisition and
rehabilitation of affected families.
"The agreement has been finalised and works for
rehabilitation have commenced," he said about the Rs 1,655
crore project and claimed that it was the longest elevated
corridor` project in the country.
The minister, replying to the debate for grants for his
department, said road overbridges would be constructed in
Chennai (Anna Salai, Mambalam) and by-pass roads in Coimbatore
at a total cost of over Rs 700 crore as part of decongestion
measures.
-PTI
