Government machinery is efficient: CM Palaniswami at launch of flyover at Salem Steel Plant junction

SALEM: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, while inaugurating a flyover at the Steel Plant junction on the Salem-Bengaluru Highway on Sunday, pointed to the project being sanctioned and completed in little over five months as an example of the government machinery working efficiently. Even when the late J Jayalalithaa was the chief minister, she sanctioned five flyovers to be constructed at Five Roads, AVR Roudana, Thiruvagoundanur, Manalmedu, Old Suramangalam, and Mulluvadi Gate, as soon as petitions to the effect were sent to her.

While the ones at Thiruvagoundanur and AVR Roundana were completed already, the flyover at Five Roads will be ready for use soon. Three more flyovers will be constructed in the district to reduce congestion and road accidents, he said.

“The flyovers will be constructed at Elampillai Pirivu, Ariyanoor, Magudanchavadi-Edappadi Pirivu. As these areas are situated on national highways, we got the consent from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) through Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari when he visited Chennai. For Ariyanoor flyover, a tender floated; for the one at Magudanchavadi, tender was given. These two flyovers will be constructed in next five months,” he detailed.

The flyover at the Steel Plant junction was constructed at a cost of 21.91 crore.

Speaking about the Salem-Chennai expressway project, he said that work on the project will start soon after the court case was completed. Many people were of the opinion that the project was centred in Salem because it was the chief minister’s home district and that he had ten factories that would benefit from the road. However, the project would not only benefit Salem district but help connect many districts to Chennai via Salem, he explained. There was no other reason for this road project but opposition parties are misleading people. 

Day by day, vehicle population is increasing in the State. “This eight-lane project would reduce the distance to Chennai by 70 km. This would save fuel and help safeguard the environment from air pollution. Similarly, road infrastructure is important to start new industries that would develop the economy of the country and bring jobs for the youth. Hence, everyone — including opposition parties — should welcome this good project.” Palaniswami said.

When T R Baalu of DMK was the Road Transport minister, he built around 700 km of highways in the State. Was no one affected then? Some people were misleading the public to keep AIADMK from earning public good will through the project, he claimed.

On Sunday, Palaniswami laid foundation stone for work on six projects worth 44.53 crore. Besides, he distributed welfare assistance worth 1.74 crore to 538 beneficiaries.