Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Renovation of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam ports will be completed by June

CUDDALORE: The renovation works now under progress in the Cuddalore and Nagapattinam ports will be completed by June-end. Once these minor ports are ready the congestion at the major ports such as Chennai, Ennore and Tuticorin will ease and cargo handling will improve, according to Vellakoil M.P.Saminathan, Highways Minister.

Accompanied by Health Minister M.R.K.Panneerselvam and vice-president of the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board C.Muthiah Kumarasamy, Mr. Saminathan on Monday inspected the progress of works at Cuddalore port.

He told reporters that the restoration works at the Cuddalore port had been taken up with the financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank to the tune of Rs 14.50 crore. These included dredging of backwaters, laying the approach roads and illumination.

After a gap of 12 years a cargo ship carrying about 24,000 tonnes of urea had berthed at the port. Very soon the Cuddalore and Nagapattinam ports would be buzzing with activity and this in turn would give a thrust to industrial growth and provide employment opportunity, thereby contributing to the economic development of the region, he said.

The proposed Korean shipbuilding unit to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore here would create 15,000 more jobs. Mr. Saminathan further said the State Government had sanctioned Rs 200 crore for undertaking repair works to the roads affected in the recent rain.

The Central committee that assessed the rain damage had expressed satisfaction over the State’s reports on the extent of losses. Mr. Saminathan noted that the World Bank had sanctioned Rs 2,118 crore for construction of the East Coast Road for a distance of 745 km from Arcot to Nagapattinam via Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.

However, the project did not cover two stretches from Puducherry to Nagapattinam and Tuticorin to Kanyakumari. Therefore, another project report would be submitted to the World Bank seeking financial assistance for taking up these works in the second phase. After its completion one could travel from Chennai to Kanyakumari along the east coast, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cement sale begins at Cuddalore, Villupuram
Renovation of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam ports will be completed by June

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu