Business Line             09.10.2013

TN to focus on road projects, infra development

The State Government has also stepped up funding for improving roads as part of a general initiative on infrastructure development to sustain economic growth.

It has earmarked Rs 2,980 crore under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development programme in the current year against Rs 2,200 crore last year. The objective of the programme is to upgrade over 2,000 km of six-lane roads to eight lanes and 5,000 km of four-lane roads to six.

At the first meeting of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board, the agency that identifies and prioritises infrastructure projects in the state, has allocated Rs 65 crore for detailed project reports and feasibility studies for road projects, he said, addressing the inaugural of Summinfra, a two-day seminar on infrastructure organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

S. Krishnan, Principal Secretary — Planning & Development, Tamil Nadu Government, said despite the overall slow down in lending for large projects, the State Government has a clear plan to focus on infrastructure projects. It has estimated that over Rs 15 lakh crore funding will be needed for investment in infrastructure over the next 10 years and is prepared to go ahead with public funding initially.