Tamil Nadu CM urges PM Modi to direct ministry to notify eight state roads as NHs

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to direct the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MORTH) to notify eight state roads in the state as national highways and entrust the development work with the state government with the necessary funding.
The 500km stretch roads were connecting significant pilgrimage centres like Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchendur, and Palani and major trade and tourist centres.
After the in-principle approval from MORTH for conversion of the eight state highways as NHs, sanction had also been accorded for the preparation of detailed project reports, wrote the CM.
The Union ministry had given its nod between May 24, 2016 and May 12, 2017 to the 500 km stretch of the eight roads. They include Thiruvannamalai-Kallakurichi, Vallioor-Tiruchendur, Palani-Dharapuram, Arcot-Tindivanam, Mettupalayam-Bhavani, Avinashi-Mettupalayam, and Bhavani-Karur roads.
Accordingly, the state national highways wing had taken up studies for preparation of DPRs under annual plan 2017-2018. “The proposals for declaration of the roads have also been presented to the ministry on December 6, 2018. However, formal notifications for the declaration of these roads as new NHs are yet to be issued by the ministry,” said the CM.
“I am informed that MoRTH is drawing up guidelines for the development of new NHs. However, as these eight roads have already been accorded in-principal approval, they can be notified as NHs without waiting for the guidelines.”
He urged the PM to direct the ministry to issue the requisite notifications regarding the issue and entrust the development work with the state government with the necessary funding.
He assured the PM that the state government would extend its full cooperation to take up all necessary improvement work on these roads in the current fiscal year itself.