Centre to invest Rs 33,000 cr in Tamil Nadu under NHDP

NEW DELHI: Transport Minister T R Baalu on Saturday said the total investment under NHDP in Tamil Nadu is Rs 33,000 crore and nearly Rs 13,000 crore has been invested so far in the state.

"The total investment by the Government of India in Tamil Nadu under various phases of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is Rs 33,000 crore and so far nearly a sum of Rs 13,000 crore has already been invested," an official statement said.

The Golden Quadrilateral length of 342-kms under National Highways Development Project Phase-I in the state has been upgraded to four-lane facility at a cost Rs 1,710 crore, he said inaugurating the four-laning of Namakkal-Karur section of the National Highways 7 in Velur.

Baalu said Chennai is not only the capital of Tamil Nadu but also the economic hub of South India and has been given due priority in highways programmes.

Under the North-South corridor of the NHDP Phase-II, 436 km length has been widened to four-lanes out of approved 756 kms length.

The corridor traversing through Krishnagiri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai and Tirunelveli connects Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border at Hosur with Kanniyakumari.

The estimated investment under NHDP PhaseII in Tamil Nadu is Rs 4,280 crore. NHDP Phase-III covers 1,464-km length of various National Highways in Tamil Nadu, out of which 10-km length has been upgraded to four-lanes on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

A total length of 1,232 kms in Tamil Nadu has been included under NHDP Phase IV-A, with an investment of Rs 2,464 crore.