NHAI projects given high importance, says TN CM

“After my Government took over, NHAI projects have been given very high importance by us,” Chief Minister MK Stalin said in reply to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. He was responding to Gadkari’s remarks on issues faced by NHAI projects in the State at the BusinessLine Countdown to Budget 2022.

“Tamil Nadu government has put its best foot forward to support National Highways projects in the State and these have helped to resolve many long pending issues,” Stalin said in a letter to Gadkari.

“I went through the media reports on your remarks regarding the issues faced by NHAI projects in Tamil Nadu, during your Special address in the event of BusinessLine Countdown to Budget 2022. I learn that you had highlighted various issues and sought the cooperation of the State Government in overcoming them. On an earlier occasion too, you had written to me highlighting such issues and I had replied in detail on the various steps taken by us,” Stalin said.

“We fully realise the significance of road connectivity for an industrialised state like us and hence I have given specific instructions to all departments to give top priority to NHAI projects. Many of the current issues causing project delays are legacy issues of the past decade and my teams of officers under the Chief Secretary are putting their best efforts to sort them out at the earliest,” Stalin said.

As a follow up to his review meetings, Stalin said the Minister for Public Works had conducted four meetings with all the stakeholder departments to resolve various issues in NHAI projects. Further, the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Highways and Minor Ports Department have conducted 13 different meetings in the same direction. Thus, there has been a high-level meeting for NHAI projects every fortnight during the last six months. Project-specific issues have been discussed with the District Collectors and line Departments along with NHAI officials to solve the issues, he said.

Minister for Public Works had met Gadkari in New Delhi on October 12, 2021 and briefed about such actions being taken for the speedy implementation of NHAI projects in Tamil Nadu, Stalin recollected about the meeting in the letter.

Further, as decided during that meeting, Stalin said that he had convened a joint meeting on December 16, 2021, with the participation of District Collectors, NHAI officials, NHAI contractors and concerned officials. The General Manager, NHAI from New Delhi had also attended this meeting.

All the issues and actions taken were discussed , and it was noted that about 80 per cent of the NHAI issues have been resolved. Further, the specific projects highlighted by NHAI, (like Vikaravandi – Kumbakonam – Thanjavur Road and Melur – Karaikudi Road) have been resolved with specific interventions of PWD Minister and Chief Secretary. The above position may also be verified with the NHAI team in Tamil Nadu.

“During the review of NHAI projects, it has come to our notice that some corrective measures have to be taken by NHAI too, on some issues which result in project delays. I would like to highlight them for necessary action at your end,” Stalin said.

The approval of land valuation for land acquisition under the National Highways Act needs to be streamlined. In some cases, NHAI has not agreed to the valuation fixed by the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) or the arbitration awards given by the District Collectors, putting the process in limbo.

Similarly, in many cases, the applications for borrow earth permission are being given without the requisite documents. In some instances, the applications have been given for sites that are not feasible due to the stagnation of water in ponds/ tanks or falling in eco-sensitive zones. Such applications need to be scrutinised before submission.

“Considering the efforts taken by the State Government and the resultant progress in the field, your statement made during the above-mentioned event has been a bit surprising to me. Nevertheless, I, once again, would like to assure you that my Government would provide its full cooperation to NHAI to expedite all the works,” Stalin said.