EMRIP project likely to be inaugurated next month

Chennai:

The Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP) is likely to be inaugurated by Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan next month.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Rs 51.60 crore Railway Siding Infrastructure at Ennore Port, the minister said that a delay in shifting of tenements of NTO Kuppam and Cherian Nagar has hit the project and and hoped that the Tamil Nadu government would take necessary steps to complete the project at the earliest.
The project has been hit by inordinate delays and the deadline has been continuously extended since the last one year. Vasan, who has been personally taking akeen interest in the project since last year, said he has reviewed the ongoing works at the 30 km stretch of formerly Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP) and hoped that the project will be inaugurated by middle of next month.
He said the Rs 51.60 crore Railway Siding infrastructure will enable the proposed coal and stack yards to be connected to southern and northern mainlines. Ennore will be supplying coal to Mettrur Thermal power station and also to Raichur. Currently, Ennore Port has a six rake capacity and this would be enhanced with the rail siding infrastructure to 24 rake capacity. “By March, we will be shipping coal loaded in 11 rakes,” a Ennore Port official said.

Vasan also said that Ennore Port will take up various projects to double the capacity of the port from the present 30 million tonnes per annum to 67 million tonnes per annum under the 12^th five-year plan.

Interestingly,  Ennore port officials were silent on the rail corridor identified in the Outer Ring Road stating that the project is still with the state government. Meanwhile, Southern railway is planning to quadruple the railway line between Madras to Gudur.

Southern Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, P.K. Mishra, said as a result there will now be a double line between Ennore to Athipatu. The project is currently completed from Athipattu to Pudunagar. Now we have to link Athipattu to Ennore Port by next one year. This will provide seamless connectivity from Ennore to northern part of the country.

On the Northern Rail link taking off from the northern side of Minjur station to enter into Ennore Port, he said the land acquisition has yet to take place for the project. Interestingly, plans are also on to move cars through railway rakes