PMG reviews delays over Rs 900 crore IOC terminal

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
The delay over Rs 900 crore Indian Oil Corporation Corporation terminal at Vallur along with four other pending projects of the state has been reviewed by Project Monitoring Group (PMG) chaired by the Union Cabinet Secretary.

PMG is an institutional mechanism that is tasked with facilitating issue resolution in projects that are facing delays or awaiting regulatory clearances with state and Central Ministries.

If a company faces any bottlenecks in obtaining approvals from the Central or State Governments, it can upload the project and the issues accompanying it onto the PMG portal after creating an account and login credentials. After verification, PMG will take up the issues with the concerned authorities and facilitate expedited resolution.

The Grassroot terminal was to be constructed in Vallur by resitement of terminals at Korukkupet and Tondiarpet as these terminals were in congested areas. Initially the project was expected to be completed within 36 months from the date of administrative approval. However, the project is facing hurdles in change of land use for 13.134 acres by Housing department and approval of imported earth required for filling under the project.

The petroleum terminal is being constructed in an area of 100 acres near Kamarajar Port, which would supply petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel by road to Chennai and the adjoining districts and through pipeline to Trichy, Salem, Madurai and Asanur. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
purchased in 2000, a total of 102 acres of land at Vallur near Ennore based on single valid offer against a public tender. The land had been changed in the revenue records in the name of the Company to the extent of 71.73 acre only.

The construction of terminal at Vallur thus, could not be initiated over land issue and IOC tried to enter into out of court settlement with landowners in the year 2020.  However, now the work is going on and is on the advanced stage. Though the work was to be completed in 2023, it is likely that dedaline could be shifted to next year. Sources said that IOC is awaiting the clearance from Housing department over the change of land use for 13.134 acres so that work could be started in that piece of land..

Aong other pending projects reviewed include Rs 200 croreTindivanam- Nagari (180 km) Broad Guage line, The delay is over acquisition of 127.84 hectares of private land 106 hectares of government land in Ranipet, Villupuram, Tiruvanamalai and Thiruvallur. The other is Maniyachi - Nagercoil (102 Km) doubling project , which is of high strategic importance as it will cater to high demand of passenger traffic on this route as well as anticipated freight traffic due to large scale ports development in southern coastal Tamil Nadu.

The issue pertains to land acquisition of government and private projects. The other projects include delay in implementation of Cuddalore-Salem(191km) and MM of Chinnasalem-Kallakurichi New Line and the 86-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari project which is delayed over acquisition of land.