writingonblog uncensored: CKIC to generate 4.7m jobs, increase manufacturing...

writingonblog uncensored: CKIC to generate 4.7m jobs, increase manufacturing...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: The proposed Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor project will generate more than 4.7 million additional jo...

CKIC to generate 4.7m jobs, increase manufacturing in the corridor to $222bn, says ADB study

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The proposed Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor project will generate more than 4.7 million additional jobs driven by annual manufacturing output of $222 billion, according to a Comprehensive Development Plan prepared by Asian Development Bank.

The phase of Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) project, which will have Madurai-Virudhnagar-Dindigul-Theni and Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli nodes, would require an investment of nearly Rs 91,000 crore. It is likely to be taken by this year and completed by 2020.

The entire project has investment requirement of $43.19 billion (Rs 281,000 crore).

The corridor influence area, which will cover 23 of 32 districts of Tamil Nadu accounting for 64pc of Tamil Nadu’s area and 70pc of total population.

The focus of the corridor will on manufacturing. As per the study, between 2010–11 and 2014–15, registered manufacturing’s contribution dropped from nearly 20pc to less than 9pc during the same period.

Except mining and quarrying, and electric, gas, and water supply, all other sectors witnessed a decline in growth. Unregistered manufacturing also witnessed a slowdown with the growth below the national average.

The challenge for development of CKIC nodes is whether to continue with large cities as the magnets for growth or to fast track the growth of smaller urban areas. New cities are difficult to develop and can take more than a decade to achieve critical mass.

Equally, managing accelerated growth of existing congested cities is not an easy task either. The targeted industrial development requires relatively lower cost land, but also relatively higher class urban amenities. Achieving this balance will require a combination of both planned growth of existing large cities for sustaining the current momentum, along with prioritized development of alternate urban centers in response to accelerated growth, the study states.

Accordingly, the urban strategy for CKIC will be combination of anchor cities and growth centers. Anchor cities are the crucial initial-state requirement to attract targeted industries. Thoothkudi, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Trichy, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Manaparai Premabalur and Kariakudi have been earmarked as anchor cities.

Interestingly, the report states that Tamil Nadu ranks first among Indian states in terms of number of factories and industrial workers. It maintains a diversified manufacturing sector and leads in several industries, including automobiles and auto components, engineering, pharmaceuticals, garments, textile products, leather products, chemicals, and plastics. Chennai has become an auto production hub. Tiruppur and Coimbatore are the state’s major textile centers. Its proximity to East Asian countries has also made Chennai into an international finance hub.

Factfile:

1.  The proposed Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor project will generate more than 4.7 million additional jobs.

2.   Manufacturing sector output in CKIC is estimated to increase from about $41 billion to between

$163 billion and $222 billion by 2035.

3.  The 23 districts in the corridor influence area cover 58% of all registered manufacturing enterprises in state.

4.  The entire project has investment requirement of $43.19 billion (Rs 281,000 crore).

5.  For Phase I nodes, the projected investment requirement for high-impact projects (hard infrastructure interventions) is $14.13 billion (Rs91,818 crore).

6.  Of the high-impact projects, 15 early bird projects at an advanced readiness stage with an investment requirement of $1.59 billion (Rs10,291 crore) have been shortlisted for Phase I nodes.

writingonblog uncensored: Satellite Bus Terminus for Andhra bound buses to ...

writingonblog uncensored: Satellite Bus Terminus for Andhra bound buses to ...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: The under-construction satellite bus terminus in Madhavaram, which will accommodate commuters going to neighbo...

Satellite Bus Terminus for Andhra bound buses to be completed by March

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The under-construction satellite bus terminus in Madhavaram, which will accommodate commuters going to neighbouring Andhra and other northern regions, is likely to be ready by next month as more than 80pc of work has been completed, according to a top official.

Built in eight acres of land at a cost of Rs 95 crore, the project, which had faced feasibility issues and was stalled initially due to heavy truck movement, will provide much needed relief to commuters going to neighbouring Andhra once it is inaugurated most possibly in the first week of April.

“Travelling from Koyambedu to Madhavaram takes more than 90 minutes and from here to Tirupati another two hours. With the new bus terminus being put into operation it will take only two hours,” says a traffic policeman who just returned from the temple in Tirupati.

The bus terminus, which had its share of controversies, has the main building almost ready. The finishing works are going on, said an official of BNR Infrastructure, which is constructing the project. Apart from it, the roads were yet to be laid linking the bus terminus with the approach road passing from the Madhavaram Truck terminal.

One of the issues that is affecting the completion of work is the basement which has been leaking every now and then. An official from the construction firm on the site told Express that since the land is low lying area, they have been facing this problem and hope to resolve it soon. However, it is learnt that the leak is attributed to starting the work without taking any precaution on water proofing measures.

The cost for constructing the bus terminus was worked out at Rs 32 crore in 2011 but the cost has gone up three times. “Overall there will be 50 parking lots for buses as well as 40 idle parking lots. Going by the cost it would mean each parking lot will cost nearly Rs one crore,” said sources.

Initially, the first feasibility report for the project was unfavourable as it stated that the bus terminus will lead to congestion of the Inner Ring Road. And this will be one of the biggest challenge the new bus terminus will face. The busy Inner Ring Road Road has been bustling with heavy vehicle traffic on the Madhavaram Road and with both bus terminus and truck terminal at the same site it is likely to congest the roads. While the entry exit points have been identified, the approach road will pass through the truck terminal. Interestingly, no work has been started to widen the road. “We will be taking up the work soon,” said the officials at the site.

Project timeline:

1.  The project was announced in the assembly in 2011.

 
2.  The project was shelved as feasibility report said that the project on eight acres of land is not feasible as there would be lot of movement of truck which could result in congestion.

3.  The bus terminus project was revived 2016 and a feasibility report was prepared again.

4.  Planning permission for the project sought by CMDA on November 2016.

5.  The cost of the project escalated to Rs 80 crore.

6. Questions raised over the proposed plan.

7. The project was awarded to BNR Infrastructure at a cost of Rs 94 crore last year.

 

8. CMDA seeks exemption of OSR land for truck terminal to shift heavy vehicle parking yard of truck terminal to make it accessible for buses entering the bus terminus.

9. 80pc of work has been completed but basement floor is leaking

10. Project likely to be completed by March and it is believed it will be inaugurated on first week of April

writingonblog uncensored: TN Defence Quad takes shape as MoD interacts with ...

writingonblog uncensored: TN Defence Quad takes shape as MoD interacts with ...: Chennai: Defence ministry is set to hire a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for setting up a Defence Quad or a corridor ...

TN Defence Quad takes shape as MoD interacts with stakeholders

Chennai:

Defence ministry is set to hire a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for setting up a Defence Quad or a corridor that is organised as a quadilateral linking Chennai, Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchirappali.

The move comes after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced in the budget of setting up two defence corridors.

The work on preparing Detailed Project Report for the corridor, known as Tamil Nadu Defence Quad, has been initiated by the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence.

Meanwhile, in a bid to ensure that expectation of local industry and particularly micro small and medium enterprises are met, the Defence Ministry has planned to hold industry interactions at all nodal points in the five cities.

The interactions which will involve senior officers from ministry of defence, representatives of Hindustan Aeronautics Limitred, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Ordanance Factories.

The interactions are being organized with the active participation of small scale industries associations and state government representatives. While already one of the interaction was held in Hosur on February 26, the other interactions are planned in Coimbatore (March 5), Salem (March 7) and Chennai (March 10). The dates for Tiruchirapalli will be announced separately. A Defence Ministry release has urged industrialists keen in defence sector to participate in these interactions and provide inputs for shaping the contours of proposed Tamil Nadu Defence Quad

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Finance City planned across Anna Salai str...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai Finance City planned across Anna Salai str...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: Chennai Finance City project, which has remained elusive since the last 10 years, is likely to take shape with T...

Chennai Finance City planned across Anna Salai stretch

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

Chennai Finance City project, which has remained elusive since the last 10 years, is likely to take shape with Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund management Corporation working out an action plan to develop commerce hubs alongside Anna Salai from beyond Guindy till business district of Parrys.

Sources told Express that the project, which was envisaged under the Vision 2023 of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, will provide modern office space, connectivity and knowledge base to provide high-end support to corporate entities belonging to finance sector under one-roof and decongest residential areas.

It is learnt that Chennai has 400 financial industry businesses headquartered in the city of which 200 are located in the main residential clusters of Mylapore, RA Puram, Nungambakkam and T Nagar which are congested and has put pressure civic authorities for additional infrastructure. 

Sources indicated that the plan is to develop Chennai Finance City or Tamil Nadu Commerce Hub as infrastructure project to accommodate public-private financial institutions, start-up parks and to develop the objective of Chennai Metro’s transit oriented development (TOD).

It is learnt that land parcels on Anna Salai are being identified for the project. Sources said that eight acres of land belonging to Tamil Nadu Housing Board and 1.4 acres belonging to slum clearance board in Nandanam could be taken up for possible development as anchor and satellite office. Similarly, one location at Guindy near to Airport and other at Parrys need to be identified besides having nano office parks in Greater Chennai Corporation and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments land along Anna Salai.

Meanwhile, TNIFMC is conducting a market survey to ascertain the demand for office complexes, convention centres and other kinds of development. The reason to select Annna salai stretch is that it has all major localities of the city feeding traffic into it. It is learnt that Chennai Metro rail’s land in Nandanam is also being considered for the Chennai Finance city. 

The move for Chennai Finance City comes after the state government was toying of having such a project on the outskirts of the city. At that time the government was looking at Sriperumbudur or Oragadam for the proposed city, which is expected to create around 30,000 jobs.

Interestingly, it was in 2009, the then Deputy Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin mooted the idea of financial city at Shollinganallur, in the IT Corridor of Chennai. Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) then had identified 180 acres of land in Sholinganallur - Perumbakkam villages for the proposed Financial City. However the project did not take off.

Factfile;

1. The financial city is being proposed to decongest residential areas of Chennai city

2. Chennai has vibrant financial industry with 400 financial businesses headquartered in the city alone

3. 200 of such business are located in the residential clusters of Mylapore, T Nagar, RA Puram and Nungambakkam.

4. The development of commerce hub along Anna Salai is proposed as the stretch has all major localities feeding traffic into it

5. The upcoming Chennai Metro Project will improve the connectivity to this proposed financial hub.

writingonblog uncensored: TN framing rules to set up Chennai Unified Metrop...

writingonblog uncensored: TN framing rules to set up Chennai Unified Metrop...: C SHIVAKUMAR @ CHENNAI: Nearly eight years ago after Tamil Nadu came out with Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Act to ca...

TN framing rules to set up Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority

C SHIVAKUMAR @ CHENNAI:

Nearly eight years ago after Tamil Nadu came out with Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Act to carve out a single nodal agency that directs planning, operations, and monitoring of various transport modes in the metropolitan area of Chennai, the state is now thinking to implement the Act by drafting the rules.

This would mean that Chennai’s entire transport network will now be controlled by Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority once the draft of Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Rules, 2018 is prepared and notified.

This comes after CUMTA which was to frame an urban transport policy for the Chennai Metropolitan Area on the lines of National Urban Transport Policy, received the assent of the governor on November 27, 2010 and was published in the Tamil Nadu Gazette Extraordinary on December 2, 2010.

Since, CUMTA Act could not be notified by the government, the authority could not be formed as a result it delayed integration of all public mass passenger transport modes by means of various measures including routing and scheduling, operating feeder services and combined or common ticketing to facilitate seamless commuting options to the public.

Under the proposed rules drafted by the government, The Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority will have a secretariat within the urban mobility area to discharge its functions under the Act. It will also have a Member-Secretary, who shall be the chief executive of the Authority and all the officers and employees appointed by the authority shall be under his administrative control.

Currently, the state government has 10 different agencies, which are involved in traffic and transportation management in Chennai Metropolitan area and governed by various ministries and department.

Sources said since many agencies are involved in planning, providing operations and managing transportation system in the CMA, the role of such agencies overlap each other resulting in the need for a unified agency for proper coordination and streamlining of the activities among various agencies.

Interestingly, the rules are being drafted when Chennai Metro has been asked to prepare Comprehensive Urban Mobility Plan which is a necessity to get the clearance for second phase of Chennai Metro. This also comes when the Chennai Metropolitan Area has been increased to 8,878 square kilometer.

CUMTA dateline:

1994: TN plans establishment of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority

Nov 27, 2010: CUMTA receives assent of governor

December, 2, 2010: Published in TN Gazette Extraordinary

February 9, 2012: First meeting held under Transport Minister

July, 2012: First Executive Committee Meeting held

December, 2013: CUMTA Rule Making committee holds third meeting

Unified Transport Agencies across the world:

1. STIF (Transport Syndicate of the Ile de France) is a unified transport authority accountable for transportation of the whole region of Paris on all modes of ground transport.

2. Transport for London (TfL) is an integrated transport authority accountable for London’s transport system. TfL is responsible for planning and operations of transport facilities in the city that involves more than 24 million commuters every day.

3. TransLink Vancouver is the regional transportation authority of Metro Vancouver. It is responsible for regional transit, cycling, commuting options and installation Intelligent Transportation System programs.

4. The Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) is the authority responsible for land transport development and regulation in Singapore.

writingonblog uncensored: First phase of CKIC will require investment of ne...

writingonblog uncensored: First phase of CKIC will require investment of ne...: CHENNAI: The first phase of Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) project, which will have Madurai-Virudhnagar-Dindigul- Theni ...

First phase of CKIC will require investment of nearly Rs 100,000 crore

CHENNAI:

The first phase of Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) project, which will have Madurai-Virudhnagar-Dindigul-Theni and Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli nodes, would require an investment of nearly Rs 91,000 crore, according to a study by Asian Development Bank.

Asian Development Bank, which has submitted the report to the state government, has stated that the investment requirements estimated for the identified high-impact projects for Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli node and MDVT are $6.22 billion (Rs 40,414 crore) and $7.91 billion (Rs 51,404 crore), respectively. The two industrial nodes span an area of 10,650 hectares.

It is learnt that the proposed nodes will be notiied as “industrial townships” under Tamil Nadu Industrial Township Area Development Authority Act, 1997 (TNITADA) and a dedicated authority will be established for each of the proposed nodes comprising the industrial township areas with the mandate of planning, developing, and maintaining the facilities within.

The CKIC, which covers 23 of the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu, accounting for 64pc of Tamil Nadu’s area, 70pc of its total population, and 75pc of the state’s urban population, will have six nodes but under the first phase only two will be taken up.

The other four industrial nodes include --- Cuddalore-Nagapattinam (the proposed Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment region), Ariyalur and Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli-Pudukottai-Sivaganga and Ramanathapur (proposed National Investment and Manufacturing Zone).

All the six nodes were selected after taking into criteria that they do not overlap Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, they are minimum distance away from Coastal Regulation Zone, forests, flood lines and other restricted areas, and the land acquisition status.

The key trunk route identiied for CKIC is the East Coast Road (ECR), traversing 800 kilometers (km) from Chennai to Kanyakumari and touching all the coastal districts of the state. This trunk route will strengthen port-based development and provide links to the existing major ports of Chennai, Ennore, and Thoothukudi, as well as the proposed port at Enayam, and complement the existing national and state highway network (NH7 and NH45) through lateral roads that link the hinterland and proposed industrial growth centers to these ports corridor.

Thoothukudi and Madurai have been identiied as anchor cities for the development of Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli Industrial Node and Madurai-Dindigul-Virudhnagar and Theni nodes respectively. The development of Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli node will generate a critical mass of population that enables metropolitan characteristics and optimizes infrastructure costs.

The integration of Madurai with Dindigul, Virudhunagar, and Theni through regional transport networks will be critical in the medium- to long-term. Restoration of the Madurai–Bodi rail network and suburban rail services between Madurai and Sattur are the two key projects that will enhance mobility from urban to industrial areas, the study stated.

Given that both the node regions face acute water shortages, an adequate water supply for industrial and domestic uses is key to the success of these Phase I nodes. Two key options for solving water challenges in the region include resource conservation and recycling, and the development of centralized desalination plants. Currently, water supply and sewerage account for over 55pc of the total investment requirement under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) in the two regions.

ADB study also suggested that GoI’s National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) can be offered an equity stake in the SPVs in return for partial funding for node development.

Investment required for Thoothkudi-Tirunelveli Node:

Ports:  Rs 8,578 crore

Roads: Rs 19,944 crore

Railways:   Rs 4,837 crore

Airports:        Rs 187 crore

Energy:        Rs 1,450 crore

Water Supply: Rs 5,418 crore

Total:      Rs 40, 414 crore

Investment required for MDVT:
Roads: Rs 37,722 crore

Railways:   Rs 6,881 crore

Airports:        Rs 385 crore

Energy:        Rs 7,677 crore

Water Supply: Rs 1,739 crore

Total:      Rs 51,404 crore

Factfile:

East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) is being implemented by Union government in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

2. Extending from Kolkata in West Bengal to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, ECEC is conceptualized as India’s first coastal economic corridor

3. ECEC is closely aligned with the government’s Sagarmala initiative to promote port-based economic development.

4. The proposed Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) is the second phase of ECEC.

writingonblog uncensored: TN drafts SoP for granting approvals to business p...

writingonblog uncensored: TN drafts SoP for granting approvals to business p...: C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government is framing a standard operating procedure where in clearances for projects under ease of d...

TN drafts SoP for granting approvals to business projects

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:

Tamil Nadu government is framing a standard operating procedure where in clearances for projects under ease of doing business is deemed to be given if the officials or competent authorities fail to follow the time-limit provided by Business Facilitation Act, which was passed last year.

Official sources told Express that as per Section 12 of the Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Act and Rule 13 of Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Rules, five clearances are covered under the deemed approval category.

They include planning permission, building permit, factory plan approval, registration of establishments for employing building and other construction workers and no objection certificate from Fire and Rescue Services.

It seems the timelimit has also been fixed for giving planning permissions by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP).

For ordinary building, the time limit is 22 days, special building 33 days and multi-storied buildings, it is 66 days. Similarly, under DTCP for giving clearance under hilly areas, the time limit is 66 days

Similarly, the building permit applications under the local bodies and Greater Chennai Corporation has to be cleared by 14 days.

The approval for factory plans from Directorate of Industrial Safety (DISH)  should be given in 14 days while No Objection Certificate from fire services department should be availed within 15 days for non-multi storied buildings and 30 days for multi-storied buildings.

Similarly, the statutory approval of electrical drawings from Tamil Nadu Electrical Inspectorate should take only five days.

As per the draft standard operation procedure (SOP) for deemed approval, fortnightly meeting will be conducted by Single Window Committee to scrutinize the application and after all the queries have been answered, the in principal approval will be given by the committee.

The single window portal which was inaugurated recently will play a key role in the entire process. It will abide by the time limit stipulated under the business facilitation act. A warning letter with a unique system generated number and date will be generated to competent authorities.

If the authorities fail to pass final orders within the time-frame, the system will generate list of clearances which fall under deemed category with a unique system generated number to the nodal agency, which will later convene a meeting of Single Window Committee.

After this, permission is accorded with a unique system generated deemed approval number and date for deemed approval. This deemed approval will be valid till statutory approval is issued by the competent authority. Meanwhile, the competent authority will have to initiate action against persons responsible for deemed approval.

List of clearances covered under deemed approvals

1.  Planning permission

2.  Building Permit

3.  Factory Plan approval

4.  Registration of Establishments for employing building and other construction workers

5.  No Objection Certificate from Fire and Rescue Services

writingonblog uncensored: Redevelop Sowcarpet to unlock potential of N Chenn...

writingonblog uncensored: Redevelop Sowcarpet to unlock potential of N Chenn...: CHENNAI: In a bid to unlock the growth potential of North Chennai, the Industry has suggested to redevelop the bustling Sowcarpet int...

Redevelop Sowcarpet to unlock potential of N Chennai, says CII study

CHENNAI:

In a bid to unlock the growth potential of North Chennai, the Industry has suggested to redevelop the bustling Sowcarpet into a Trade Park.

The area has already been recommended by the Justice Rajeswaran Committee to be redeveloped and a Confederation of study ‘A Case for Development of Wholesale Trade Parks’ released by the Housing Secretary S Krishnan on Thursday highlights the same.

Sowcarpet, which covers an area of around 10sqkm housed over 4 million people and is largely famous for wholesale goods, shops selling designed sarees and dress materials, readymade garments, steel utensils and durables and various other commodities.

The locality has 80 per cent of the 150 buildings which are in dilapidated condition as per Chennai Corporation. It also has less than one per cent of buildings which are built without any violations, as per the survey carried out by Chennai Corporation.

According to the CII study, Sowcarpet is similar to Crawford Street in Mumbai or inner parts of Dariba, Chandini Chowk in Delhi. The area is crowded and houses seem to jut out of a common wall and there is barely separation between them, the study stated.

The study states that if Sowcarpet is redeveloped, the traders will have more space to store inventory. It also states that the entire trading hub of North Chennai comprising of Purusaiwalkam and Choolai could be relocated to an upcoming ‘Market of India’ which is spread over 70 acres near Perambur.

The study states that Market of India Model is based predominantly on the Chinese model of wholesale markets that are directly linked to manufacturing centres and appurtenant logistics systems.

The study states that upon completion the project will generate employment to 1.06 lakh individuals of which direct employment will be to 42,442 people for operation and management of the project.

writingonblog uncensored: TN likely to implement BRTS soon

writingonblog uncensored: TN likely to implement BRTS soon: CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government is likely to implement the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) which has been pending for so long. Tamil Na...

TN likely to implement BRTS soon

CHENNAI:

Tamil Nadu government is likely to implement the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) which has been pending for so long.

Tamil Nadu Housing secretary S Krishnan said that the state government is considering implementing BRTS and Detailed Project Reports are being prepared.

Speaking at 'Next Gen Infrastructure in Chennai – A City Connect Initiative organized by Confederation of Indian Industry here on Thursday, he said that the proposed Intelligent Transport System will be introduced in city’s roads by nexty financial year.

The intelligent transportation system (ITS) is an advanced application which, without embodying intelligence as such, aims to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks.

It is learnt that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the main conduit for Japan’s overseas development aid, has submitted the draft of detailed project report on implementing ITS, which is being reviewed by various stakeholders before getting the stamp of approval from Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Board.

He also highlighted the idea of slum free cities is gaining momentum of late and the TN Vision 2023 document is very clear about implementing it in a big way as part of urban infrastructure and development.

He said that Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu stands as a shining example on that count as the district administration there has rehabilitated as many as 10,000 families living on water bodies with the provision of proper alternative living spaces to them. This is also based on the efforts to reclaim the lost water bodies in Coimbatore and save them for future use effectively.

Krishnan also said that 5,000 more families living on water bodies in Coimbatore district would also be relocated soon.

Arun Bhagat, Convenor, Taskforce on Chennai Infrastructure, CII Chennai Zone and Chief Operating Officer, GMR Krishnagiri Special Investment Zone, who set the context for the conference, said that there is a need for creating awareness on infrastructure projects happening around, all for the benefit of the people.

Bhagat also wanted the better use of urban management with the creation of intelligent traffic system, IT parks, public utilities like improved water supply and waste disposal mechanism.

M Ponnuswami, Vice Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu, and Chairman & Managing Director, Pon Pure Chemical India Pvt Ltd, said that Tamil Nadu has a strong bureaucracy now and that is a sure sign of infrastructure development getting a big boost from the government.

He made a special emphasis on decongestion of market places where people congregate in large numbers.

VGN multi-storied residential building worth Rs 115 cr attached by Enforcement Directorate

CHENNAI:

A multi-storied residential building worth Rs 115 crore belonging to real estate developer VGN Developers was attached by Enforcement Directorate under Prevention of Money Laundering Act for buying a public sector enterprise land below the guideline value.

Enforcement Directorate Joint Director KSVV Prasad said that the immovable property in the form of land to the extent of 10.46 acres at Thiru-Vi-Ka Industrial Estate in Guindy was purchased by VGN Developers in 2013 from Hindusthan Teleprinters, a Government of India Undertaking.

In 2009, State Bank of India had initiated proceedings under Sarfaesi Act for sale of the land after HTL agreed to sell the land to pay of the company’s debt.

The land was sold on March 15, 2013 by way of private treaty for an amount of Rs 272 crore. Leon Terattil, then deputy general manager of Stressed Assets Management Branch, State Bank of India along with then SBI chief manager Ramadoss along with DP Gupta, chief operating officer of Hindustan Teleprinters, deliberately resorted to private treaty instead of public auction for disposing off the property.

“There was no sufficient time given to other interested parties and not only that no paper publications were made and the property was sold within a week after holding consortium meeting on March 7, 2013,” according to FIR filed by CBI.

The guideline value of the property in 2013 was Rs 387 crore but VGN brought it for Rs 272 crore causing wrongful loss to the Government of India to the tune of Rs 115 crore, said Prasad.

Prasad said that officers of Enforcement directorate initiated investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and identified the proceeds of crime in the form of wrongful gain derived by VGN Developers which has been integrated in the construction of multi-storied residential apartments in Guindy for sale to public in the name of VGN Fairmont.

“Since VGN Fairmont contains the proceeds of crime to the extent of Rs 115 crore, the immovable properties were attached provisionally under the provisions of PMLA,” Prasad added.

More than 4,000 families along Maduravoyal-Chennai Port project to be evicted

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The state government will have to evict more than 4,000 families from the alignment of the 17.5km Maduravoyal-Chennai Port elevated corridor project to restart the project that has been stalled for more than five years.

As the finalisation of Detailed Project report is hardly less than two months away, officials are looking at resettling the families.

Sources said that till now 10.9km stretch have been cleared from encroachment and the challenge lies in clearing the hutments in 6.6km.

As per the enumeration, there were 6,970 families and till now 1.2km of the 6.6km area has been cleared of hutments. “A total of 1,084 families living in hutments along the alignment have been cleared and work has commenced in evicting remaining 5,886 families residing in the 5.4km stretch,” sources added.

“Already efforts have been taken by Public Works Department and Greater Chennai Corporation who have evicted 1,876 families from the alignment in 2017. The remaining 4,010 project affected families may be resettled in Perumbakkam, sources added.

Meanwhile, the state government is also considering to resettle commercial units along the alignment to Auto Nagar in Marimalai Nagar.

It is learnt that development works were undertaken at a cost of Rs 25 crore in Appur and Perumalthangal villages covering an area of 16.91 hectares.

It is learnt that a total of 1657 commercial entities have been identified to be resettled along with families.

It was in 2011 that the revised rehabilitation and resettlement cost of the project was worked at Rs 470 crore and National Highway Authority of India deposited Rs 46.50 crore to slum clearance board for rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected families. NHAI has to deposit the balance amount of Rs 188.50 crore.

Meanwhile, sources indicated since the state government did not acquire the land due to non-release of funds, the compensation now could be paid as per the new land acquisition Act, which could cost the exchequer dearly.

The project, which was frozen for the last five years after the State government raised objections to the alignment, was resolved as the state opted for the suggestion where in the alignment along Coumn would have single piers at almost all places barring a few where it will be double pier, sources added.

Factfile:

Total number of Project affected families: 6,970

Evicted in 2009: 1084

Evicted in 2017: 1876

Balance families to be evicted: 4,010