Hand over ECR stretch to NHAI: Pon. Radhakrishnan.

Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan, who met Chief Minister Jayalalithaa recently regarding the Enayam project, also suggested handing over the East Coast Road, south of Puducherry, to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for upgradation as a national highway.

In response, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the State government had already taken up upgradation and improvement work in the Thoothukudi-Tiruchendur-Kanniyakumari stretch of the ECR.

Pointing out that the NHAI needed to ensure adequate maintenance funding for stretches of roads already taken over as national highways, she also sought an assurance from the Union Minister that in case the ECR, south of Puducherry, was taken over as a national highway, adequate priority and funding should be accorded to ensure that the road was well maintained.

Mr. Radhakrishnan also sought the support of the Chief Minister for providing land to establish a Rubber Research Centre in Kanniyakumari district, and Ms. Jayalalithaa assured that the proposal would be expedited.

THE HINDU