[libertiespana]

The Union government on Monday deferred the completion of the much-delayed EMRIP (Ennore Manali road improvement project) by another year.

Union shipping minister G.K. Vasan and Union highways minister C.P. Joshi, who reviewed the progress of the `600 crore EMRIP and elevated road connecting Chennai port and Maduravoyal, with national highway, port and state government officials, jointly told mediapersons that the project would be completed by June 2013.

Asked about difficulty in sourcing materials for the project, Mr Vasan said the port and highways departments would work in tandem on a time limit from now on to sort out the problems and expedite the project.

For instance, administrative sanction has been accorded for providing an alternative land to the defence department in Tondiarpet port employees quarters area to acquire the land belonging to them for the port-Maduravoyal project.
Overriding priority would be accorded for completing the 1.6-km stretch of EMRIP starting from Zero Gate to Kasimedu fishing harbour, Chennai port trust chairman Atulya Mishra added, pointing out that though June 2013 was the deadline for the entire project, the 1.6-km stretch would be completed in six months.

Major problems like encroachments, particularly temples that require the consent of communities, would be sorted out with the support of the state government, Mr Mishra added, assuring that they would remove all encroachments once NHAI comes forward (for implementation).

Mr Vasan also assured that hurdles in land acquisition and compensation payment in the port-Maduravoyal project would soon be removed with state support. Mr Vasan requested Mr Joshi to remove the hurdles and expedite all Central NH projects in Tamil Nadu.

Hurdles will soon be removed with state support Mr Vasan also assured that hurdles in land acquisition and compensation payment in the portMaduravoyal project would soon be removed with state support. Mr Vasan requested Mr Joshi to remove the hurdles and expedite all Central NH projects in Tamil Nadu.

-dc chn