Chennai: Welcoming the state government's decision to implement the Port-Maduravoyal project, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Saturday said though the decision is belated, the government should carry out the project on a war footing.
Stalins said the project was formulated by the DMK for the development of the whole state as it would pave the way for the growth of Chennai port and ease traffic congestion in the city. If the project is completed, the time taken to reach Maduravoyal from Port would be reduced to just 15 to 20 minutes. It takes nearly one to two hours now to cover the same distance, he noted.
Accidents would be less as containers and lorries would use the corridor and air pollution would be reduced, he added. The project would be a boon to the industries dependent on Chennai port for imports and exports, leading to industrial growth and commerce.
The project was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on 8 January 2009.
The DMK government sufficient funds for the project and 120 out of the 889 pillars were erected during the DMK regime. About '500 crores of the total '1,815 crores had been spent.
But, the project was stalled after the AIADMK government returned to power in 2011, Stalin said and added that the AIADMK government did not heed to requests from the centre to resume the project.
