Environmental clearance for road project

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, OCT. 14. The Centre has given environmental clearance for improving roads to a length of over 350 km in the State. The upgradation scheme forms part of the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNRSP), for which the State Government has already approached the World Bank for funding.

Different corridors passing through interior parts of the State are proposed to be converted from single-lane to double-lane. They form the reaches of Arcot-Thiruvannamalai- Thirukoilur- Ulundurpet, Polur-Chengam, Vriddhachalam-Kumbakonam- Thiruvarur and Ariyalur-Jayamkondan. Besides, eight bypasses for Arni, Polur, Thiruvannamalai, Thirukoilur, Vriddhachalam, Ariyalur, Thiruvarur and Kumbakonam have been planned.

Immediately after receiving the crucial approval from the Centre late last month, the State Government informed the World Bank that it was ready for negotiations in regard to the funding.

``A team of the multi-lateral agency's officials is likely to be here next month'', sources say, adding that the team will indicate the date of the visit of the appraisal team of the Bank. Once the appraisal team completes its work, the project will be posed to the Board of Directors of the Bank for sanction of funds.

In a communication sent to the State Highways Department, the Union Environment and Forest Ministry said that the stipulations laid down by the Public Works and Forest Departments and the State Pollution Control Board should be effectively implemented to safeguard environment, while executing the TNRSP.

Already, the Union Government gave the clearance in July for the other component of the project which was the

400-km-long Cuddalore-Tuticorin stretch of the East Coast Road. Under this part of the TNRSP, five bypasses had been proposed.

A couple of years ago, the Bank expressed its willingness to sanction a loan of US $ 310 millions for strengthening and widening of roads for a total length of 1,280 km besides US $ 100 million for maintenance of the roads.

As part of the TNRSP, the upgradation of roads is sought to be carried out broadly under three components - Cuddalore-Tuticorin, northern corridors (north of Tiruchi) and southern corridors.

At present, the Government's plan is to complete the spadework for the first two components and get the work commenced as early as possible. The two components will have a total of seven packages, each of which will be awarded to separate contractors. Also, the department is contemplating to involve NGOs to carry out proper rehabilitation and resettlement of the project affected persons (PAPs).

The detailed engineering designs are being worked out for the 13 bypasses and this will be over by February. Also, the Highways Department is doing a re-check of the enumeration of the PAPs, estimated to be around 10,000.

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