Date:01/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/01/stories/2008080154450600.htm

Tamil Nadu

“Government will work towards promoting communal harmony”

Special Correspondent

Karunanidhi opens road over bridge at Kathivakkam

Seeks cooperation of political parties in achieving goal
Appeals to private sector to help supplement government efforts

— Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

improving infrastructure: (From left) Minister of State for Railways R.Velu, Highways Minister M.P. Saminathan, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Fisheries Minister K.P.P. Sami, at the inauguration of the road overbridge at Kathivakkam on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi asserted here on Wednesday that his government would strive hard to foster communal harmony.

Declaring open the Rs.23-crore road over bridge, jointly constructed by State Highways Department and Southern Railway, at Kathivakkam in Tiruvallur district, the Chief Minister urged political parties and citizens to strengthen the hands of the DMK and the government in achieving this goal.

While underscoring the importance of road, rail, and air connectivity for economic and industrial growth, Mr. Karunanidhi said he was glad to note that the State Highways Department, under the Ministership of M.P. Saminathan, had brought Tamil Nadu to the forefront by completing works relating to roads and bridges. Mr. Karunanidhi thanked the Minister of State for Railways, R. Velu, for attending the function and extending cooperation from the Southern Railway to the State government projects undertaken by the State Highways Department. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for a 50-bed hospital at Royapuram built with the help of Times Foundation under the tsunami rehabilitation programme. He appealed to the private sector to help supplement the efforts of the government in taking modern health care services to weaker sections of the society.

Mr. Velu, while listing out several rail-bridge projects completed with 50 per cent financial assistance from the Tamil Nadu government, said out of the total 360 bridges completed, 131 were constructed in the State.

He said efforts were on to have a direct rail link between Chennai and Kanyakumari to cover the distance in seven hours. The State Minister for Highways and Ports, M.P. Saminathan, said the Kathivakkam road over bridge was the 12th in the series of bridges completed. He said by end of September, the road over bridge in Alandur would be declared open.