Minister lays foundation stone for three bridges

The Minister for Highways and Ports M.P. Saminathan laid the foundation stone for three bridges in the district on an outlay of Rs.1,168 lakh at a function at Srivaikundam near here on Tuesday.

A new high-level bridge will be constructed on the Major District Road connecting Srivaikundam with Tiruchendur, situated about 30 km from Tiruchendur, at a cost of Rs.818 lakh.

The remaining projects included construction of a bridge on the Tuticorin-Tiruchendur MDR at a cost of Rs.330 lakh and another one at Sattankulam along the State Highway stretch connecting Alwarthirunageri with Valliyoor at a cost of Rs.20 lakh.

The PWD sources said 95 per cent of the total project cost of Rs.1,168 lakhs was taken as loan from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The remaining amount was taken from the State Exchequer.

The entire works were expected to be completed before December 31, 2008.

New projects

Delivering address, Mr. Saminathan said the Government had taken up highways development works to the tune of Rs.2,461 crore in the State.

"They included laying of new roads at a cost of Rs.550 crore and strengthening and maintenance of roads and bridges at a cost of Rs.801 crore, with the remaining amount to be utilised for other works."

The Minister said steps would be taken to fill the 270 posts of junior and assistant engineers and 500 road inspectors in the Highways Department.

Mr. Saminathan along with the Minister for Animal Husbandry Geetha P Jeevan distributed pension benefits worth Rs.6.73 lakh to eight government servants, who superannuated recently.

They also jointly gave away a solatium of Rs.1.5 lakh to the kin of a road worker who died in harness recently.

The Collector R. Palaniyandi, and the Divisional Engineers of the Highways Department, V. Jesudas and Selvaraj were present.

Source: The Hindu