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138-year-old canal project revived in Tamil Nadu

The Sethusamudram canal project, conceived 138 years ago, will be taken up within a few months, Defence Minister George Fernandes announced on Wednesday.

Speaking about the "dream-come-true project" after an aerial survey of the site, Fernandes told reporters at Kodandaramarkoil, 8km from Madurai, that the canal would be constructed in two phases.

To be laid 99.88 nautical miles from Tuticorin through the Gulf of Mannar, it will reduce the cost of shipping substantially, besides earning foreign exchange.

Fernandes said the prime minister had committed himself to execute the project for the benefit of the country in general and the southern states in particular. And the job had been entrusted to him.

Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the Centre will share the cost, which may be anywhere between Rs 7.65 billion and Rs 12 billion.

Fernandes said the project would be completed in six years. Under the first phase covering 44 nautical miles, the task of dredging down to a depth of 31 feet will be taken up at a cost of Rs 7.65 million and completed in four years. Dredging to a depth of 35 feet will be taken up in the second phase.

He said the government would decide shortly whether to execute the work on a 'build, operate, transfer' basis through private participation or through an authority or corporation on the lines of the Konkan Railway.

He felt the setting up of a corporation would be more beneficial, with 49 per cent equity participation by the Centre and an equal percentage by the southern states.

Ruling out any foreign funding for the project, he said only technical help would be used.

Once the project is completed, both Tuticorin and Madras will become nodal ports, the minister said. Then, the distance from Cape Comorin to Madras will be reduced from 755 nautical miles to 402, and to Visakhapatnam from 1,014 to 719 nautical miles. From Tuticorin to Calcutta, the distance will come down from 1,371 nautical miles to 1,031.

The minister was accompanied by Commodore Madan, naval officer in charge, Tamil Nadu, and Commodore K V Subramaniam, Commandant, Coast Guard (East), Madras.

UNI

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