Gadkari: Centre ready to fund road development in State.

Funds will not be a constraint for development of the road network in Kerala, according to Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping.

Speaking to newspersons en route to Madurai in Tamil Nadu to attend a function, he said the Centre was willing to set apart a sum of up to Rs. 25,000 crore for road projects in the State.

He also said Kerala fared way behind other States in terms of development of roads. This is because it has failed to take advantage of schemes made available by the Centre from time to time.

He also warned against the trend of mixing politics with developmental works which would only further push the State back in growth and development.

The Centre, he said, had largely recused itself from taking up developmental work here due to various issues of the latter’s own making. But it has chosen to be back in action. In this context, Gadkari also expressed its readiness to provide adequate compensation for acquiring land for laying new roads.
Works cleared

The Union Minister announced that clearance has been accorded to the Adimali-Cheruthoni and Kottarakara-Pamba highways and four-lining of the Mahe-Thalassey bypass.

The Adoor-Pathanamthitta national highway no 185 via Laha and Vadasserikara will be extended to Pamba. Also, the Centre will take up construction of the 117-km-long Adimali-Cheruthoni-Pynavu (Idukki) road.

As for the Mahe-Thalassery bypass, the state government had provided for only two-lane traffic. But the Centre has decided to sanction four lanes here in the best interests of the state.
Vizhinjam project

On exempting the proposed Vizhinjam international multi-purpose seaport project form Cabotage law, he said that the Centre is seized of the matter and is discussing the matter at various levels.

Cabotage exemption has been a major issue pertaining to the Rs. 7,525-crore project engaging both the overnment and the bidders to the wire before Adani Ports & SEZ emerged as the lone player.

The Letter of Award has since been delivered and formal signing of the agreement is expected to take place in Thiruvananthapuram soon.

Cabotage is only one of the outstanding issues that cloud the project at this stage. The other is an application challenging the environmental and CRZ clearances in the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.

HBL