Centre to give Rs 1 lakh crore more to TN for road projects: Nitin Gadkari

THANJAVUR: The Centre will allocate an additional Rs 1 lakh crore for highway projects in Tamil Nadu, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said in Thanjavur on Friday.
He was speaking to reporters after inspecting the four-lane Cholapuram-Thanjavur and Sethiyathope-Cholapuram sections of the 164km Vikravandi-Kumbakonam-Thanjavur bypass being built at Rs 4,730 crore.
"In Tamil Nadu, we have a total of 71 upcoming projects spanning 2,781 kms, with a projected cost of Rs 1 lakh crore. I am happy that we are giving the highest priority to Tamil Nadu. The BJP govt has spent Rs 2 lakh crore in highway projects across Tamil Nadu since 2014," he said.
Gadkari said ongoing projects were valued at Rs 60,000 crore, and completed projects at Rs 50,000 crore. Acknowledging the state's cooperation in executing Centre's road projects, Gadkari emphasized the need for expediting land acquisition.
The process often encounters delays as most of the land to be acquired in Tamil Nadu is fertile, he said. Gadkari conceded a delay of four years and one month in completing the bypass project, which commenced in 2018, attributing it to various factors. He refrained from blaming anyone for it.
"I am really happy that the quality of the road is very good. We are very much committed, timebound, result-oriented and corruption-free," he said, adding that the third package of the project will commence soon with a new contractor after the previous tender awarded to a company owned by Anil Ambani was terminated.