!
People of Tamil Nadu must have started realising that they had made a very ‘costly’ mistake in voting for Jayalalitha’s ADMK to power in the State in expectation of a ‘change’, may be in the outlook and attitude of her. If this expectation, when they similarly brought her back to power in 2001, proved for the worse, now it is proving to be the worst of her three tenures as Chief Minister.
Immediately after assuming office in 2011, the very first punishment she meted out to people who elected her was throwing into Cooum river their precious tax money to the tune of Rs.600 crore by abandoning the New Secretariat-Assembly complex on Anna Salai. Her similar effort to abandon Asia’s biggest library in the name of Anna in Chennai constructed and established at a cost of nearly Rs.300 crore was stalled by the High Court. Similarly their attempt to give up Samacheer Kalvi scheme was thwarted by the Supreme Court. But for these vexatious litigations from court to court engaging senior lawyers of Supreme Court for the State government, several crore of public money was unnecessarily wasted to appease the ego of an individual.
But the damages to public interest did not stop there. When almost all States in India were crying for and seeking Centrally-sponsored mega infrastructure projects, people of Tamil Nadu willfully opted for a destructive regime presided over by Jayalalitha which seeks to hamper and stall huge infrastructure projects, worth several thousand crore, under implementation in and around Chennai and elsewhere in the State, the biggest of them being the 150 year old dream of Tamils, the Sethusamudram project. Some of the other Centrally-funded project remaining struck in the State due to various reasons, not at the fault of bureaucratic lethargy (as a report on this issue headlined as “Red tape takes sheen off core NHAI project” by the ‘Times of India’ on August 7) but specifically because of the political acrimony of Chief Minister Jayalalitha just because the previous DMK rule brought them by persistently pressuring the Centre, are: Rs.1,815 crore Chennai port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway, Ennore-Manali Road Improvement project, Double-laning of Tiruchi-Karaikudi NH-210, Six-laning of Chennai-Tada section of NH-5, Two-lane project linking Dindigul-Theni-Kumily, 2/4 laning of Tiruchi-Karur section of NH-67, Four-laning of Kovai-Mettupalayam NH-67.
NationalHighwaysAuthority of India chairman (NHAI) R P Singh has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Sheela Balakrishnan seeking her intervention to put the projects back on track. Including the Maduravoyal-Chennai port elevated road project, eight NHAI projects are stuck in TN.
He listed long-pending issues affecting implementation of the projects. Since delays had adversely affected the financial viability of the projects, contractors were threatening to pullout, he said in the letter.
In another letter to the Chief Secretary, NHAI had said the State was liable to pay damages to the tune of Rs.786.8 crore up to April 30 this year for stalling the Maduravoyal-Chennai Port road project.
To speed up projects, Singh said funding institutions were insisting on support from the state government. For this, TN has to sign an umbrella state support agreement. Tamil Nadu is yet to sign this agreement.
Though more than 60 dedicated special land acquisition units were functioning in TN for land acquisition for NHDP, there was inordinate delay in completing acquisition work. The abnormal delay in granting permission from mining department and district administrations prevented timely completion of projects.
Road contractors had also expressed apprehensions over the delays at a meeting convened by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes in Chennai, a couple of weeks ago. For instance, T S Venkatesan, chief executive of L&T Chennai–Tada Tollway Ltd said if the project could not be completed before September 30, 2013, the lenders would declare the project as a non-performing asset (NPA). He also said that there was a 30 % escalation in project cost. During the meeting, NHAI chairman said unless TN came forward and signed the state support agreement and cooperated with contractors, NHAI may not be able to award any new project in Tamil Nadu. Fernandes said the contractors’ concerns would be conveyed to Union Finance Minister and Cabinet.
The specific reasons for the delay are:
Ennore Port - Maduravoyal Elevated Road: Land acquisition on the National Highway 4 incomplete Resettlement of families along Cooum river not done Stoppage of work by the water resources department.
Ennore - Manali Road Improvement Project: 146 fishing stalls near Chennai port gate still to be done Water pipelines along Manali Oil Refinery Road to be shifted 540 families in Cherian Nagar, NTO Kuppam to be re-located.
Double-Laning of Trichy-Karaikudi NH210: NoC issued by PWD and water dept. for construction of roads and bridges over tanks revoked.
Six-Laning of Chennai-Tada section of NH5:State support agreement is yet to be signed by the TN govt For land acquisition and removal of encroachments, the authorities say they need approval No cooperation from the district administration .
Two-Lane Project Linking Dindigul-Theni-Kumily: Inordinate delay in acquisition of land Handover of land in areas around by-pass has not happened.
2/4 Laning of Trichy-Karur Section of NH-67: Fresh environmental clearance required No objection from PWD and water dept. is needed.
Four-Laning of Kovai-Mettupalayam NH-67: TN government has withdrawn its concurrence that was given earlier for the proposed project.
The election manifesto of the DMK for the 2006 Assembly elections promised to implement Elevated Highways in areas of acute traffic congestion in Chennai city. Immediately after the DMK assumed power in 2006, Kalaignar, in a letter sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 5.6.2006, sought approval for elevated expressway to Chennai port. Following the efforts made by the then Union Minister T.R.Baalu and others, the Centre gave approval for the Chennai port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway and the Prime Minister laid foundation for it at a function on 8.1.2009 presided over by Kalaignar. It was announced then that this would be lengthiest elevated expressway in India.
On 22.6.2007, the State government issued approval in policy level to the NHAI for this expressway along the banks of Cooum river to pave way for unhindered transport of containers from the port. The State government also agreed to share with the Chennai Port Trust in the ratio of 50:50 the expenses incurred in the acquisition of lands and for the rehabilitation of the displaced people. The State government would incur expense of Rs.130 crore towards this. The NHAI was also assured of full cooperation in the works of getting clearance under Pollution Control Act and relocating drinking water and sewerage pipes and lamp posts.
Now,the following report was published in ‘The Hindu’ on August 5:
“The contractor of the Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor project has demanded payment of an additional Rs.103 crore, as compensation for delays in handing over land, idling charges and interest. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently submitted an additional affidavit in the Madras High Court and said that the State government is bound to bear all financial expenditure on account of stoppage of the project. Including this amount, the contractor, Soma Enterprises Ltd., has raised claims of Rs. 872.80 crore as compensation.
The Rs.1,815-crore project was put on hold in March 2012 after the Water Resources Department of the State government issued a ‘stop work’ notice saying the alignment of the corridor along the banks of the Cooum had deviated from the original alignment. “It was the government that issued the ‘stop work’ notice and hence it is responsible for losses to the concessionaire, who has to build, operate and transfer the elevated corridor project after a period of 20 years. In the affidavit submitted to the Madras High Court, we have mentioned this,” said the NHAI official.
The NHAI is the implementing agency for the project and the deadline for the 19-km-long stretch is September 13, 2013. “If there is no improvement in the status of the project by then, we will have no other alternative but to terminate the contract,” said an NHAI official.
The NHAI had gone to court seeking a direction to quash the order and direct the State government to take all steps to proceed with the project within a stipulated time frame. The State government had to also share 50 per cent of the cost of land acquisition, and resettlement and rehabilitation of 6,100 families living along the Cooum, and remove 458 commercial structures in Chintadripet.”
The following comments, which reflect the opinion of people of the State, are from its readers on the daily’s website:
“It is such a sad day for Tamil Nadu. Such egoistic approach of Jaya is condemnable.”
Ragha, Posted on: Aug 6, 2013 at 02:51 IST
“This mega project is under hold since more than a year .When half of the construction is over, how could state PWD arise objection over the alignment of its pillars at this stage? .People should shed their personal likes and dislikes and move ahead for the larger interest of the public. It is also very sad that the local media that makes all hues and cries over the happenings in a far off state like UP over an issue of one IAS ,should keep mum on such crucial matters that concern them too.”
Rajagopalan, Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 22:33 IST
“The fault lies entirely on Jaya’s government on delaying this project. The policies of present government are hampering the growth of many infrastructural projects across the state. Will Jaya leave aside her dogmatic mindset and leave alone the projects to get completed. If this elevated highway is denied its execution, the city of Chennai will have a severe setback on a much awaited link.”
Prasan Saxena, Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 15:11 IST
“The State government should take steps in having these kind of projects being done as quickly as possible to ensure smooth traffic in the city and for lorries also to ply without any hassles.”
T. Mohan Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 10:00 IST
Earlier on March 10, accusing ADMK Government of putting ‘stumbling blocks’ in implementation of the project, National Highways Authority of India moved the Madras High Court seeking directions to the state authorities to execute it as agreed earlier.
In his petition, NHAI Project Director R Rajendra Kumar sought quashing of a January 28 letter by the Chief Engineer of Water Resource Organisation, Public Works Department, asking NHAI to obtain revised Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance for the 19-km long ‘Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Corridor, and carry out certain remedial measures. This direction to obtain revised CRZ clearance was nothing but arbitrary exercise of power, malafide against the spirit of public interest and various orders passed by the Tamil Nadu government (during DMK rule), the petition alleged. It submitted that though necessary clearances and approvals had been obtained from concerned departments/agencies before commencing the project, after the change of government in May 2011, the State officials were not cooperating and suddenly became averse to it.
“...after the change of government in May 2011, there has been no cooperation from various departments of the State government with regards to the land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement of project affected families for reasons best known to them,” the petition charged.
The project, started in September 2010 at the behest of Tamil Nadu Government and Chennai Port Trust and due to be completed by September this year, would cut down the travel time between the port and Maduravoyal, on the city outskirts, from more than two hours to just 15-20 minutes.
The petition wanted the court to direct authorities to coordinate and take all steps for the completion of the project in accordance with March 7, 2008 and February 4, 2011 Government Orders within a timeframe and complete it.
NHAI is aggrieved over the “stumbling blocks” put up by authorities for the execution of the project, the petition said, adding Rs 500 crore has already been invested and hence the plea for completion of the project which is in public interest.
Usually, Chief Ministers, Ministers and officials of States had to go to New Delhi pleading for Central assistance and Centrally-sponsored projects for their States. In Tamil Nadu they say the States have to take ‘kavadi’ to Delhi to placate the powers-that-be to get favours for them. But Tamil Nadu being under the regime of cantankerous Jayalalitha, the authorities in the Centre one after the other had to come down to Chennai to get clearance from the lady’s regime for the stalled projects in which funds to the tune of thousands of crore rupees are entangled. After the repeated visits by secretaries of departments of the Central government and their meetings with the secretaries of departments and the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government proved futile, the Prime Minister himself had to intervene and depute his Adviser and a senior official of PMO as his emissaries to talk to Jayalalitha and get approvals.
Accordingly, Prime Minister’s Adviser T.K.A. Nair and Director in the PMO, Pallavi Jain, met Chief Minister Jayalalitha at her office on November 10, 2012 and discussed infrastructure issues including the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway, Chennai-Bangalore Expressway and Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project. During the meeting at the secretariat, they discussed the implementation of various programmes jointly taken up by the Centre and the State government, a State government release said. Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi and Chief Minister’s secretaries were also present.
According to sources, Nair reviewed the status of several projects like Chennai-Bangalore Ex-pressway, Chennai Port Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway and Ennore -Manali Road Improvement Projects, including construction of a new airport at Sriperumbudur.
Nearly one year has passed but the ‘presiding deity’, as the ADMK minions call her, does not seem to be come down from her exalted position sheer arrogance. With no other option the NHAI has now put the onus on State government for the delay in the execution of the Chennai port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway project and make it liable to pay Rs.872 crore compensation demanded by the Contractor firm.
Only because the ADMK regime prevented the continuation of execution of this project, the Soma constructions Ltd., which was carrying out the works, had demanded the NHAI compensation of Rs.872.80 crore for the delay in execution of works, and the NHAI had told the High Court that the State government is liable to pay this compensation.
In a statement on May 20, Kalaignar said there was danger of further increase in this compensation if the delay extended further and the NHAI was very much upset over the attitude of the ADMK government. “The State government’s attitude has got the NHAI worried. While projects in other States are moving swiftly, the negative attitude of the government in Tamil Nadu is causing enormous delay leading to the contractors demanding compensation,” he said.
Kalaignar said just because these schemes were conceived during the DMK rule, the ADMK government could not afford to let them lag behind schedule and urged it to take steps to permit immediate restarting of the works of the projects.
But no other political party in Tamil Nadu had taken up the issue of these stalled projects because of the antagonistic attitude of the Chief Minister. The huge pillars and half finished works on the roads of Chennai and elsewhere in the State do not seem to worry these ‘representatives of people’. Ironically, while the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPM held a demonstration in Thanjavur on August 6 demanding execution of the Sethusamudram project, but the meeting of the party’s state committee attended by its General Secretary Com. Prakash Karat held in Chennai on the same days did not pass any resolution on the subject,
For electing her party to power and making Jayalalitha the Chief Minister of the State, the people of Tamil Nadu have already been penalised by several hundred crore of their tax money going in drain and foregoing benefits of the above mentioned Centrally-funded projects and also prepare themselves for yet another penalty of Rs.872 crore if the State government is ordered to pay the compensation demanded by the contractor-firm of Chennai port-Maduravoyal express expressway by the High Court. r
People of Tamil Nadu must have started realising that they had made a very ‘costly’ mistake in voting for Jayalalitha’s ADMK to power in the State in expectation of a ‘change’, may be in the outlook and attitude of her. If this expectation, when they similarly brought her back to power in 2001, proved for the worse, now it is proving to be the worst of her three tenures as Chief Minister.
Immediately after assuming office in 2011, the very first punishment she meted out to people who elected her was throwing into Cooum river their precious tax money to the tune of Rs.600 crore by abandoning the New Secretariat-Assembly complex on Anna Salai. Her similar effort to abandon Asia’s biggest library in the name of Anna in Chennai constructed and established at a cost of nearly Rs.300 crore was stalled by the High Court. Similarly their attempt to give up Samacheer Kalvi scheme was thwarted by the Supreme Court. But for these vexatious litigations from court to court engaging senior lawyers of Supreme Court for the State government, several crore of public money was unnecessarily wasted to appease the ego of an individual.
But the damages to public interest did not stop there. When almost all States in India were crying for and seeking Centrally-sponsored mega infrastructure projects, people of Tamil Nadu willfully opted for a destructive regime presided over by Jayalalitha which seeks to hamper and stall huge infrastructure projects, worth several thousand crore, under implementation in and around Chennai and elsewhere in the State, the biggest of them being the 150 year old dream of Tamils, the Sethusamudram project. Some of the other Centrally-funded project remaining struck in the State due to various reasons, not at the fault of bureaucratic lethargy (as a report on this issue headlined as “Red tape takes sheen off core NHAI project” by the ‘Times of India’ on August 7) but specifically because of the political acrimony of Chief Minister Jayalalitha just because the previous DMK rule brought them by persistently pressuring the Centre, are: Rs.1,815 crore Chennai port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway, Ennore-Manali Road Improvement project, Double-laning of Tiruchi-Karaikudi NH-210, Six-laning of Chennai-Tada section of NH-5, Two-lane project linking Dindigul-Theni-Kumily, 2/4 laning of Tiruchi-Karur section of NH-67, Four-laning of Kovai-Mettupalayam NH-67.
NationalHighwaysAuthority of India chairman (NHAI) R P Singh has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Sheela Balakrishnan seeking her intervention to put the projects back on track. Including the Maduravoyal-Chennai port elevated road project, eight NHAI projects are stuck in TN.
He listed long-pending issues affecting implementation of the projects. Since delays had adversely affected the financial viability of the projects, contractors were threatening to pullout, he said in the letter.
In another letter to the Chief Secretary, NHAI had said the State was liable to pay damages to the tune of Rs.786.8 crore up to April 30 this year for stalling the Maduravoyal-Chennai Port road project.
To speed up projects, Singh said funding institutions were insisting on support from the state government. For this, TN has to sign an umbrella state support agreement. Tamil Nadu is yet to sign this agreement.
Though more than 60 dedicated special land acquisition units were functioning in TN for land acquisition for NHDP, there was inordinate delay in completing acquisition work. The abnormal delay in granting permission from mining department and district administrations prevented timely completion of projects.
Road contractors had also expressed apprehensions over the delays at a meeting convened by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes in Chennai, a couple of weeks ago. For instance, T S Venkatesan, chief executive of L&T Chennai–Tada Tollway Ltd said if the project could not be completed before September 30, 2013, the lenders would declare the project as a non-performing asset (NPA). He also said that there was a 30 % escalation in project cost. During the meeting, NHAI chairman said unless TN came forward and signed the state support agreement and cooperated with contractors, NHAI may not be able to award any new project in Tamil Nadu. Fernandes said the contractors’ concerns would be conveyed to Union Finance Minister and Cabinet.
The specific reasons for the delay are:
Ennore Port - Maduravoyal Elevated Road: Land acquisition on the National Highway 4 incomplete Resettlement of families along Cooum river not done Stoppage of work by the water resources department.
Ennore - Manali Road Improvement Project: 146 fishing stalls near Chennai port gate still to be done Water pipelines along Manali Oil Refinery Road to be shifted 540 families in Cherian Nagar, NTO Kuppam to be re-located.
Double-Laning of Trichy-Karaikudi NH210: NoC issued by PWD and water dept. for construction of roads and bridges over tanks revoked.
Six-Laning of Chennai-Tada section of NH5:State support agreement is yet to be signed by the TN govt For land acquisition and removal of encroachments, the authorities say they need approval No cooperation from the district administration .
Two-Lane Project Linking Dindigul-Theni-Kumily: Inordinate delay in acquisition of land Handover of land in areas around by-pass has not happened.
2/4 Laning of Trichy-Karur Section of NH-67: Fresh environmental clearance required No objection from PWD and water dept. is needed.
Four-Laning of Kovai-Mettupalayam NH-67: TN government has withdrawn its concurrence that was given earlier for the proposed project.
The election manifesto of the DMK for the 2006 Assembly elections promised to implement Elevated Highways in areas of acute traffic congestion in Chennai city. Immediately after the DMK assumed power in 2006, Kalaignar, in a letter sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 5.6.2006, sought approval for elevated expressway to Chennai port. Following the efforts made by the then Union Minister T.R.Baalu and others, the Centre gave approval for the Chennai port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway and the Prime Minister laid foundation for it at a function on 8.1.2009 presided over by Kalaignar. It was announced then that this would be lengthiest elevated expressway in India.
On 22.6.2007, the State government issued approval in policy level to the NHAI for this expressway along the banks of Cooum river to pave way for unhindered transport of containers from the port. The State government also agreed to share with the Chennai Port Trust in the ratio of 50:50 the expenses incurred in the acquisition of lands and for the rehabilitation of the displaced people. The State government would incur expense of Rs.130 crore towards this. The NHAI was also assured of full cooperation in the works of getting clearance under Pollution Control Act and relocating drinking water and sewerage pipes and lamp posts.
Now,the following report was published in ‘The Hindu’ on August 5:
“The contractor of the Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor project has demanded payment of an additional Rs.103 crore, as compensation for delays in handing over land, idling charges and interest. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently submitted an additional affidavit in the Madras High Court and said that the State government is bound to bear all financial expenditure on account of stoppage of the project. Including this amount, the contractor, Soma Enterprises Ltd., has raised claims of Rs. 872.80 crore as compensation.
The Rs.1,815-crore project was put on hold in March 2012 after the Water Resources Department of the State government issued a ‘stop work’ notice saying the alignment of the corridor along the banks of the Cooum had deviated from the original alignment. “It was the government that issued the ‘stop work’ notice and hence it is responsible for losses to the concessionaire, who has to build, operate and transfer the elevated corridor project after a period of 20 years. In the affidavit submitted to the Madras High Court, we have mentioned this,” said the NHAI official.
The NHAI is the implementing agency for the project and the deadline for the 19-km-long stretch is September 13, 2013. “If there is no improvement in the status of the project by then, we will have no other alternative but to terminate the contract,” said an NHAI official.
The NHAI had gone to court seeking a direction to quash the order and direct the State government to take all steps to proceed with the project within a stipulated time frame. The State government had to also share 50 per cent of the cost of land acquisition, and resettlement and rehabilitation of 6,100 families living along the Cooum, and remove 458 commercial structures in Chintadripet.”
The following comments, which reflect the opinion of people of the State, are from its readers on the daily’s website:
“It is such a sad day for Tamil Nadu. Such egoistic approach of Jaya is condemnable.”
Ragha, Posted on: Aug 6, 2013 at 02:51 IST
“This mega project is under hold since more than a year .When half of the construction is over, how could state PWD arise objection over the alignment of its pillars at this stage? .People should shed their personal likes and dislikes and move ahead for the larger interest of the public. It is also very sad that the local media that makes all hues and cries over the happenings in a far off state like UP over an issue of one IAS ,should keep mum on such crucial matters that concern them too.”
Rajagopalan, Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 22:33 IST
“The fault lies entirely on Jaya’s government on delaying this project. The policies of present government are hampering the growth of many infrastructural projects across the state. Will Jaya leave aside her dogmatic mindset and leave alone the projects to get completed. If this elevated highway is denied its execution, the city of Chennai will have a severe setback on a much awaited link.”
Prasan Saxena, Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 15:11 IST
“The State government should take steps in having these kind of projects being done as quickly as possible to ensure smooth traffic in the city and for lorries also to ply without any hassles.”
T. Mohan Posted on: Aug 5, 2013 at 10:00 IST
Earlier on March 10, accusing ADMK Government of putting ‘stumbling blocks’ in implementation of the project, National Highways Authority of India moved the Madras High Court seeking directions to the state authorities to execute it as agreed earlier.
In his petition, NHAI Project Director R Rajendra Kumar sought quashing of a January 28 letter by the Chief Engineer of Water Resource Organisation, Public Works Department, asking NHAI to obtain revised Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance for the 19-km long ‘Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Corridor, and carry out certain remedial measures. This direction to obtain revised CRZ clearance was nothing but arbitrary exercise of power, malafide against the spirit of public interest and various orders passed by the Tamil Nadu government (during DMK rule), the petition alleged. It submitted that though necessary clearances and approvals had been obtained from concerned departments/agencies before commencing the project, after the change of government in May 2011, the State officials were not cooperating and suddenly became averse to it.
“...after the change of government in May 2011, there has been no cooperation from various departments of the State government with regards to the land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement of project affected families for reasons best known to them,” the petition charged.
The project, started in September 2010 at the behest of Tamil Nadu Government and Chennai Port Trust and due to be completed by September this year, would cut down the travel time between the port and Maduravoyal, on the city outskirts, from more than two hours to just 15-20 minutes.
The petition wanted the court to direct authorities to coordinate and take all steps for the completion of the project in accordance with March 7, 2008 and February 4, 2011 Government Orders within a timeframe and complete it.
NHAI is aggrieved over the “stumbling blocks” put up by authorities for the execution of the project, the petition said, adding Rs 500 crore has already been invested and hence the plea for completion of the project which is in public interest.
Usually, Chief Ministers, Ministers and officials of States had to go to New Delhi pleading for Central assistance and Centrally-sponsored projects for their States. In Tamil Nadu they say the States have to take ‘kavadi’ to Delhi to placate the powers-that-be to get favours for them. But Tamil Nadu being under the regime of cantankerous Jayalalitha, the authorities in the Centre one after the other had to come down to Chennai to get clearance from the lady’s regime for the stalled projects in which funds to the tune of thousands of crore rupees are entangled. After the repeated visits by secretaries of departments of the Central government and their meetings with the secretaries of departments and the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government proved futile, the Prime Minister himself had to intervene and depute his Adviser and a senior official of PMO as his emissaries to talk to Jayalalitha and get approvals.
Accordingly, Prime Minister’s Adviser T.K.A. Nair and Director in the PMO, Pallavi Jain, met Chief Minister Jayalalitha at her office on November 10, 2012 and discussed infrastructure issues including the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway, Chennai-Bangalore Expressway and Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project. During the meeting at the secretariat, they discussed the implementation of various programmes jointly taken up by the Centre and the State government, a State government release said. Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi and Chief Minister’s secretaries were also present.
According to sources, Nair reviewed the status of several projects like Chennai-Bangalore Ex-pressway, Chennai Port Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway and Ennore -Manali Road Improvement Projects, including construction of a new airport at Sriperumbudur.
Nearly one year has passed but the ‘presiding deity’, as the ADMK minions call her, does not seem to be come down from her exalted position sheer arrogance. With no other option the NHAI has now put the onus on State government for the delay in the execution of the Chennai port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway project and make it liable to pay Rs.872 crore compensation demanded by the Contractor firm.
Only because the ADMK regime prevented the continuation of execution of this project, the Soma constructions Ltd., which was carrying out the works, had demanded the NHAI compensation of Rs.872.80 crore for the delay in execution of works, and the NHAI had told the High Court that the State government is liable to pay this compensation.
In a statement on May 20, Kalaignar said there was danger of further increase in this compensation if the delay extended further and the NHAI was very much upset over the attitude of the ADMK government. “The State government’s attitude has got the NHAI worried. While projects in other States are moving swiftly, the negative attitude of the government in Tamil Nadu is causing enormous delay leading to the contractors demanding compensation,” he said.
Kalaignar said just because these schemes were conceived during the DMK rule, the ADMK government could not afford to let them lag behind schedule and urged it to take steps to permit immediate restarting of the works of the projects.
But no other political party in Tamil Nadu had taken up the issue of these stalled projects because of the antagonistic attitude of the Chief Minister. The huge pillars and half finished works on the roads of Chennai and elsewhere in the State do not seem to worry these ‘representatives of people’. Ironically, while the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPM held a demonstration in Thanjavur on August 6 demanding execution of the Sethusamudram project, but the meeting of the party’s state committee attended by its General Secretary Com. Prakash Karat held in Chennai on the same days did not pass any resolution on the subject,
For electing her party to power and making Jayalalitha the Chief Minister of the State, the people of Tamil Nadu have already been penalised by several hundred crore of their tax money going in drain and foregoing benefits of the above mentioned Centrally-funded projects and also prepare themselves for yet another penalty of Rs.872 crore if the State government is ordered to pay the compensation demanded by the contractor-firm of Chennai port-Maduravoyal express expressway by the High Court. r
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