The Hindu             28.11.2013 

Chennai to get roads under PPP on Kerala model

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

The State government is planning to develop urban roads in the Chennai Metropolitan Area under Public Private Partnership (PPP) based on the model adopted in Kerala.

Following the first meeting on PPP for urban roads held by the State government on Wednesday, the Chennai Corporation has decided to study the feasibility of using the model to design, construct and maintain urban roads in newly added areas.

“A number of neighbourhoods in added areas need new roads. Such areas may benefit from the adoption of the model,” said an official of Chennai Corporation.

The civic body has decided to complete 18,000 roads by May 2014. New roads to tackle traffic congestion may also be developed based on the model. The Union Ministry of Urban Development this month asked the State government to explore the possibility of construction, operation and maintenance of urban roads through a PPP model. The Ministry cited the model adopted in Thiruvananthapuram where a private entity was identified for urban road improvement.

“The roads developed under the model will be toll-free. This is done through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with responsibility of design, operation and maintenance of roads for 15 years in an integrated manner. The traditional system of repairing the road has impaired the landscape and storm water drains,” said an official of Chennai Corporation.

The local bodies in the State, including the Chennai Corporation, have been trying to get funds from development banks from other countries to cope with insufficient budgetary allocations from the Union Government. The Union government is also promoting the PPP model to cope with issues pertaining to funding. The model adopted in Kerala identified a consortium to develop, operate and maintain urban roads.

Land acquisition and financial risks were, however, tackled by the State government and the concessionaire was responsible for investment. The recovery for the concessionaire is made by annuity payments from the central road fund.

The Hindu             22.11.2013

Corporation to tackle dusty roads

The Chennai Corporation will develop an action plan for reducing dust on roads.

It is planning to find ways to cope with air pollution caused by road cuts, ongoing Metro Rail work, inadequate sweeping of roads, garbage, and construction debris.

This is in accordance with a direction from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to the civic body and other agencies, such as Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, traffic police, Chennai Metrowater and the transport department, to take steps to control air pollution in the city.

After the commencement of a project by CPCB to set up continuous real-time air quality monitoring stations in Chennai and 15 other cities, for which action plan is being prepared by the State governments as per the orders of the Supreme Court, the Chennai Corporation has been trying to put in place a detailed plan for reducing dust on roads.

The Corporation is likely to focus on infrastructure renewal and technological intervention to tackle the problem of dust on roads.

“A number of motorists suffer from eye irritation and poor visibility because of air pollution. Many roads are dusty and vehicle movement causes dust particles to hover, along most stretches,” said R.B. Saravanan, who rides a motorcycle daily.

According to a recent report of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) on air quality, places such as Anna Nagar, Kilpauk and T. Nagar exceed the permissible limit of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) of less than 10 micron size.

TNPCB’s annual reports also indicate a rise in pollution level on roads. RSPM levels have gone up in the past few years.

In areas such as Kathivakkam, the RSPM has been consistently above 300 microgram/cubic metre.

According to an official of the Corporation’s public health department, Wall Tax Road, Mint, T. Nagar and Chennai Central neighbourhoods have potential for causing high incidence of respiratory problems for motorists because of dust on roads.