World-class roads for city soon

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State local administration minister K.P. Munusamy on Wednesday kickstarted the relaying of world-class roads in Chennai.

The minister, addressing the function in Maduravoyal, said chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has earmarked a sum of Rs 333 crore for the development of Greater Chennai and Rs 750 crore for municipal areas across the state.

The state will be pumping in about Rs 2,000 crore for providing drinking water and sewerage facilities in the city through Chennai metro water board.

Besides Chennai, the government is also focussed on Tier II cities and the allotment of money for Madurai corporation in the current fiscal has crossed an all-time high Rs 750 crore, he said.

The chief minister has envisaged a development project under which 52 per cent of the capital expenditure will be spent for developing infrastructure in the rural areas and the balance 48 per cent will be used to boost the urban infrastructure and connectivity.

Urging the contractors to complete the civic work before the onset of monsoon, he said the status of Chennai would soon be elevated to world class cities.

The Greater Chennai area comprising suburbs coming under Chennai metropolitan area will also receive an additional fund of Rs 500 crore for mega Chennai project, he explained.

Chennai mayor Saidai Duraiasamy said public demands were being ascertained and assured better roads and civic facilities in the coming days.

He also emphasised that several violations in the administration of the city corporation during the previous DMK regime have come under scanner and they would be set right.

Deputy mayor P. Benjamin, additional corporation commissioner S. Vijaya Raj Kumar and deputy commissioner Ananda Kumar also attended the function.

Ambattur zone gets lion’s share of corpn funds

The city corporation has allotted a fund of Rs 150 crore to develop stormwater drains, street lights and interior roads in Ambattur, Alandur and Valasarawalkam areas, and the civic body has begun tender works, sources said.

The chief minister’s special allocation of Rs 333 crore is diverted for the recently merged corporation areas and the previous city corporation areas will be maintained utilising the corporation’s revenue resources, Ripon Building officials said.

The lion share in terms of allocation has been provided to Ambattur zone considering the population density and requirement.

Followed by Ambattur, Alandur and Valarasawalkam zones would execute projects worth Rs 55 crore and Rs 48 crores, another official said. Currently roads to a distance of 175 km have been identified and as many 360 roads will be re-laid across the city.

The new roads would have aesthetic street lights, enhanced storm water drains, name boards, cycle tracks, sun shades and roadside ducts, sources said.