Govt gives clearance to ultra-modernize TN city roads

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu road urban infrastructure project (TURIP), a plan conceived by the TN municipal administration and water supply (MAWS) department to develop road systems of international standards in ten towns in the state, has received clearance from the state government today.

"No pot holes, no digging by service providers, no sewage on the road, no flooding, and no relaying" goes the ambition of the project. The roads planned under this project are also expected to have lanes for pedestrians and cyclists, and benches by the roadside.

The project will be implemented in 10 municipalities and corporations in TN, where underground drainage systems have been completed. This includes Valasarawalkam, Alandur, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Karur, Inam Karur, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruppur, Tiruchy and Tirunelveli.

The TN budget 2008-09 included an allocation of Rs.1000 crore, to be allocated every year, to begin implementation of TURIP. The project will have multiple financing, though, with Rs 147 crore coming from arrears of devolution from the state government (sum that the state government owes to urban local bodies).

Also, a portion from the assigned revenue payable to corporations and municipalities on account of surcharge on stamp duty, motor vehicle tax, and bonds to be issued by the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructural Fund will also be utilized.

Each of the ten towns will have a separate consultant to prepare detailed designs of the systems planned, shortly. The consultant will float tenders for actual contracting of the work, and implement the project on a build-operate-transfer basis, for a period of five years.