Rs 300 crore expressway to be built to decongest traffic in Puducherry: CM V Narayanasamy

PUDUCHERRY: The Union road transport and highways ministry has acceded to the Puducherry government’s request to construct an expressway stretching 9 km at a cost of Rs 300 crore to decongest traffic in the town, said chief minister V Narayanasamy.
Speaking to media representatives on Saturday, Narayanasamy said the Puducherry government had earlier submitted four highway-related proposals to the ministry and road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, who visited Puducherry on Friday, reviewed the projects and assured that they would be executed. He said the projects include the construction of an expressway connecting Sivaji statue on East Coast Road with Murungapakkam at a cost of Rs 300 crore. The ministry will construct flyovers wherever required and widen the existing road in the 9km stretch. He expressed optimism that the project will decongest traffic in the town. He said the ministry has also come forward to widen the existing road connecting Villupuram with Nagapattinam into a four-lane road at a cost of Rs 926 crore. He said the previous Congress-led UPA government gave in-principle approval for the project. Presently, the ministry has commenced the process of acquiring land in Puducherry, Karaikal and Tamil Nadu for the project, he said.
He said the ministry has approved a proposal to upgrade and widen the road connecting Mahabalipuram with Puducherry into a four-lane project at a cost of Rs 800 crore. He said the project will be implemented without disturbing the thickly populated town areas and the proposed four-lane road will join the Villupuram NH via Ousteri, Villianur and Ariyapalayam.
Similarly, the existing road between Madagadipet and Puducherry will be made four-lane at a cost of Rs 130 crore. The project includes the construction of a bridge over the Sangarapani river. Narayanasamy said he submitted a memorandum to Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, also the chancellor of Pondicherry University, to provide 25% reservation for students from Puducherry in all courses offered by the university. Presently, the university extends 25% reservation for Puducherry students only for a few courses, while denying quota for the majority of the most sought-after courses, including job-oriented courses.