To strengthen road infrastructure and handle the increasing traffic, the Tamil Nadu government will upgrade 150 km of highway roads to four-lane and 600 km of the road network to two-lane, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,300 crore under the Chief Minister Road Development Programme (CMRDP).
The government said that 435 causeways would be replaced by high-level bridges at Rs 1,105 crore, and three bypasses will be developed in Coimbatore, Tiruchengode and Tiruvannamalai towns at Rs 500 crore.
The state highways minister, E V Velu, told the media that the state highways will be upgraded under CMRDP and plans to develop a four lane highway of 2,200 km in 10 years. It will also upgrade single and intermediate lane roads connecting block headquarters and major district roads and other district roads to double lanes of 6,700 km in 10 years.
Velu said that it would reduce traffic congestion and ensure the free movement of vehicles. Under this highway scheme, four lanes will be developed in the industrial belt of Hosur in the Krishnagiri district to encourage the industrial sector.
He said that rail overbridges would be constructed at 12 places in eight districts, including Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Trichy, Tirupattur, Thiruvarur and Vellore, at Rs 577 crore.
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