Latest news with #E.V.Velu
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu government releases revised schedule of rates for the fiscal
The common schedule of rates for all government departments for this fiscal was released on Monday, with an overall increase of nearly 5%. This would help to standardise the cost of infrastructure projects to be implemented in Tamil Nadu. Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu released the schedule, compiled in three volumes, for various departments and government agencies, including Highways, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. Sources in the PWD said that nearly 183 new items, including UPVC sliding windows and statues, have been added this fiscal. The schedule lists basic rates for various materials and services required for construction projects. The committee tasked with preparing the schedule, comprising the heads of several key departments, had considered various factors, including the market rates and the Wholesale Price Index, to arrive at the revised rates. The new rates would increase the average project estimate by 5%. The rates for M-sand and blue metal have been increased by 18% because of various taxes. Labour charges have also been raised by 7%. For instance, the charges for the mason (brick work) and mazdoor category-I were fixed at ₹1,098 and ₹716 per day respectively during 2024-25. However, cement and steel rates have been reduced by 6% and 0.6% respectively, based on the Wholesale Price Index. Last year's schedule had fixed ₹298 for a bag of cement and ₹56,000 for a metric tonne of steel. The new rates would help the departments prepare better project estimates and complete projects on time, the sources said.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Avinashi Road flyover works to be completed by August 15, says Minister
A flyover that is under construction on Avinashi Road in Coimbatore city will be completed by August 15, Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu said here on Saturday. The ₹1,791.23-crore project spans 10.1 km from Uppilipalayam to Goldwins. The Minister told the media the flyover would have eight ramps. Work on one ramp was delayed due to a legal case pending before the Madras High Court. The steel girders above the railway section (near Hope college) was over and the flyover work was progressing. When asked about the absence of pedestrian subways along the flyover, the Minister said such facilities were generally not included in these types of projects. 'The focus is on the main carriageway and the entry and exit ramps. Once the project is completed, if a need arises, we will consider it,' he said. The Minister also inspected the ongoing construction of the Thanthai Periyar Library and Science Centre in the city. He said the construction would be completed by December and the facility was expected to open in January. The library and science centre were developed at a cost of ₹300 crore and would cover 1,98,000 sq. ft. To a question on the Talisman amulet (dhrishti bommai) placed at the construction site, the Minister said he did not support such practices. 'I am a Periyarist and do not encourage these. But the contractors may follow certain beliefs. I do not comment on that. Once the work is completed, there will not be any such structures,' he said.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Special darshan tickets at Arunachaleshwara temple will be increased to ₹100: HR&CE Minister
Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekar Babu on Thursday said that the existing special darshan ticket of ₹50 at Arunachaleshwara temple in Tiruvannamalai town will be doubled soon to enable the department to provide more civic amenities to visiting devotees. Accompanied by Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu and Collector K. Tharpagaraj, Mr. Babu inspected temple premises and Mada streets in the town. He also interacted with devotees on the existing civic amenities and safety arrangements available in the temple and 14-km-long Girivalam path. 'As most of the devotees are from neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, special darshan tickets will be increased to ₹100 soon. More time will be given for devotees for darshan at the temple,' he said. Among civic amenities, the Minister said that additional water taps and seating arrangements for senior citizens and persons with disabilities will be set up in the temple premises. Also, digital boards will be installed at various spots in the temple to provide timing of special poojas for devotees. A special arena with a seating capacity of 2,000 persons for those devotees with special darshan tickets will be made soon to allow them for hassle-free worship. 'Steps to construct additional accommodation facilities for pilgrims are also underway. Land near Raja Gopuram of the temple has been identified to build a waiting hall for devotees at a cost of Rs 1.97 crore. Work will commence soon,' he said. The Minister said that more queues will be formed in free darshan to allow more devotees to visit the temple. Special queue will be in place for senior citizens and pregnant women to have darshan easily. Also, additional battery-run cars will be operated to help persons with disabilities to move around inside the temple.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Rain revives fish farming in irrigation tank near Tiruvannamalai
Fish farming in an irrigation tank, which is maintained by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), at Melathikkan village near Tiruvannamalai town has been revived for the season due to rain in recent weeks, resulting in steady rise of waterflow to the tank. Accompanied by Collector K. Tharpagaraj, Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu released young fish in the tank on Wednesday as part of fish cultivation by farmers in the region. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation (TNFDC), which maintains fish farms in the district, said that fish cultivation, including harvesting, is done during May to August due to the steady reduction of hot weather and gradual rise in water level due to south-west monsoon. These months also help to retain adequate oxygen in the farming area of the tank due to slow evaporation. Also, as the water level is almost steady, fishing in the waters in the tank remains safe for fishermen. 'Local fishermen from the neighbouring Edapalayam village have been doing the job for many years. Such roping of local skilled workers helps to prevent poaching and also provides jobs for them,' S. Velan, Assistant Director (AD), Department of Fisheries (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu. At Melathikkan tank, Catla, Roya and Mithila are the preferred freshwater fish varieties that are cultivated with acumen, involving local fishermen and officials of the fisheries department. These fish varieties were chosen at least for two reasons - speedy growth and good taste, especially for spicy fish curries. They weighed over one kg in three months after they were left in the tank. As per norms, each hectare of tank area, on average, should release around 2,000 fish should be released to maintain the fish growth in the tank. In other words, 60% of the total area of the tank should be the total number of fish released. Divided into forenoon and afternoon, fishing in the tank will be done by 18 units of local fishermen, closely monitored by the officials. Each unit has at least two fishermen in a coracle with a target of 20kg per team everyday. In other words, fishing in the tank should yield at least 0.5 tonnes (500 kgs) daily especially during the peak month of August. These fishermen are paid on a daily basis. Of the total catch, one-third goes for local consumption with the rest goes to the government-run stalls and buyers in the State.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
State Highways to construct new bridge across Then Pennar river in Tiruvannamalai
The State Highways Department is planning to construct a new high-level bridge across the Then Pennar river between Agarampallipattu and Thondamanur village near Thandrampattu town in Tiruvannamalai as a replacement to the collapsed bridge there, as residents have been pressing for their demand of easy connectivity to reach nearby towns. The proposal of the Highways Department comes after the newly-opened ₹15.9-crore bridge across the river collapsed when excess rainwater of over two lakh cusecs was released from Sathanur dam, located 24 km from the village upstream, following heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Fengal in December. 'Ever since the bridge collapsed, we had had to trek at least 20 km to reach nearby towns like Thandrampattu and from then, it has been a long-standing demand of the residents of at least 8-10 villages,' D. Pulivendan, president, Thondamanur village panchayat, said. The bridge that collapsed was inaugurated by Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports E.V. Velu, on September 2, 2024. 'Technical design and estimated cost for the proposed bridge across the river is ready. Work on the new bridge will commence in the coming months,' a State Highways official told The Hindu. According to Highways officials, the project to construct the proposed bridge would be executed by the Construction and Maintenance wing of the Department, led by P. Gnanavel, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Tiruvannamalai), with funds sanctioned under the NABARD scheme. As per plan, the proposed high-level bridge will be 250 metre long and 12 metre wide. The height of the new bridge will be at least 12 metres — five metres higher than the collapsed bridge. Officials said that an increase in height, especially the decks of the bridge, would help the structure to withstand huge influx of excess rainwater released in the river during heavy rainfall. The rise in height of the new structure was decided based on a study of massive floods that happened over the past 100 years, officials said. Another key change is that the proposed bridge would be built away from the collapsed structure. Highways officials attribute change of river course to be the reason for moving away from the earlier location of the bridge. 'The new plan is to build the bridge at least 200 metre away from the collapsed bridge as the river course is much more straight now. The study found that the curved portion of the river could have been the reason for the structural instability of the earlier bridge that collapsed,' said an official. Highway officials said that the proposal for the new bridge has been sent to the State government for financial clearance as technical study for the project has been completed. The project will be announced by the State government in the coming weeks before tenders were floated for the new bridge.
