Rs. 1,350-cr. WB loan for transport project

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 12. The World Bank, in principle, had approved a Rs. 1,350-crore loan for the Transport Infrastructure Development Project in the State, said the Public Works Minister, Dr. M.K. Muneer, here on Tuesday.

The Government would have to agree to some conditions for the loan to be through, the Minister said.

Private participation in road development projects, he said, had become inevitable. The matter was now under the consideration of the Government. The Government might make use of investment of overseas Keralites in this regard. It had no money to spend on road development.

As payment to the contractors totalling Rs. 767.72 crores was in arrears, they were not coming forward to take up new works. Similarly, the Indian Oil Corporation and the Hindusthan Petroleum Corporation were not supplying bitumen as payments totalling Rs. 12 crores were in arrears. This had affected repair of roads.

The Government, he said, would be going ahead with the plan for an express highway in the State. This highway would be rubberised.

Dr. Muneer said he would not be continuing as chairman of the India Vision Television Channel during his Ministership.

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Section  : Southern States
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