TN CM Vijay announces slew of urban infra projects, including 400 MLD desalination plant

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay made a slew of announcements in the Assembly on Wednesday on comprehensive urban development and infrastructure improvement initiatives, including a 400 MLD desalination plant, focusing on augmenting water supply and upgrading aging sewage systems.

The measures were aimed at meeting the challenges of rapid urbanisation and population growth.

In order to ensure safe and continuous water supply, the 400 MLD (million litres a day) desalination plant will be established at Minjur at an estimated cost of Rs 4,800 crore to serve north Chennai, Avadi, Ponneri, and Minjur areas.

The CM also proposed a dedicated project for 24/7 water supply in Avadi at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

Water facility improvements in Madurai, Cuddalore, and other municipalities for Rs 1,000 crore and restoration of 33 old water schemes at a cost of Rs 300 crore, and upgrading the Kilpauk water treatment plant capacity at an estimated cost of Rs 410 crore were also among the announcements made the chief minister under rule 110 in the Assembly.

He said the aging sewage systems in Madurai, Nagercoil, and Chennai will be upgraded alongside implementing the Waste-to-Energy projects in Tirunelveli (9 MW capacity for Rs 256 crore) and Salem (10 MW capacity plant for Rs 291 crore).

Vijay said road restoration and new construction across urban local bodies will be initiated for Rs 1,850 crore. He announced the implementation of the Integrated Urban Development Plan for Rs 275 crore, including modern "People-Friendly" roads, "Safe Access to Schools" projects, and traffic island improvements in Chennai and other corporations.

A massive initiative to plant one crore saplings and development of major parks in Tiruchirappalli, Tiruppur, and Pudukkottai (Rs 130 crore) and 250 new parks statewide (Rs 175 crore) would be taken up. School facilities will be upgraded to improve the learning environment in urban local bodies (for Rs 335 crore), he said.

On cultural and tourism development, Vijay announced beautification projects for Chidambaram's temple chariot festival routes (Rs 36 crore), a Heritage Walk in Cuddalore (for Rs 80 crore), and tourism enhancements at Kanyakumari beach and tourism facility upgrades (for Rs 50 crore).

Targeted infrastructure improvements in underdeveloped zones within the Chennai Corporation like improving basic amenities such as laying roads, storm-water drains, streetlights, and community centers for Rs 100 crore, will also be undertaken, he added.