A week before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to leave for Japan, his principal secretary TKA Nair was in Chennai on May 20 to hold discussions with State and Central government agencies to help speed up high-cost road and bridge projects, especially the Ennore-Manali road improvement project (EMRIP), by the end of the year.
This would ensure hassle-free cargo and container movement for Japanese firms that use the Chennai and Ennore ports. Nair held discussions with industries Secretary NS Palaniappan, Sipcot chairman and managing director Swaran Singh, and representatives of Southern Railway, Tamil Nadu road development company (TNRDC), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Chennai port and Ennore port.
Nair took stock of the progress of work on the roads leading to the ports. He urged stakeholders to finish the projects at the earliest, said a senior government official, who attended the meet. Bad roads hamper the transportation of cars of Renault Nissan Automotive to be exported via Ennore port.
The manufacturing plants of Toshiba-JSW Turbine and Generator Pvt Ltd in Andarkuppam on the Thiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road also face similar problems. The shipping of turbine generators to thermal power stations in Karnataka is planned from Ennore port. Sources said the required infrastructure would have to be in place at the earliest and roads and bridges between the plant and Ennore port completed soon.
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