Chennai-Salem expressway: No change in DMK’s stand, says EV Velu

Chennai: State Highways Minister EV Velu on Tuesday said the stand of the DMK has not changed on the Salem-Chennai six-lane project issue.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for highways and PWD Ministry in the Assembly, Velu said the project is now a six-lane project and consent of the Union Environment Ministry should be obtained for the project.

Reiterating the position of the party, as was stated by Chief Minister MK Stalin as the then Leader of Opposition, the Highways Minister told the House that a decision on the project would be made only after ascertaining the views of the people. The Minister said this in response to the query raised by PMK MLA Sivakumar and AIADMK MLA Mahendran who sought to know the status of the project.

Participating in the debate, KMDK MLA ER Eswaran said that delaying the Port-Maduravoyal project during the last 10 years was an injustice done to the economy of Tamil Nadu. Eswaran also asked the Minister to develop an alternate route at Thoppur on Salem – Bengaluru Highway to prevent accidents.

Reacting to a specific request of the MLAs who drew the government’s attention to eight spots between Salem and Ulundurpet being two-lane stretches while the rest were four-lane stretches, Velu said the work could not be taken up because the road has been contracted to a firm till 2024.

Informing that he had spoken to the firm, which is in the process of preparing a detailed project report and the contractors, the Minister said the work would be taken up this year.