ADB
ADB’s loan will be used to upgrade nearly 590km of state highways. Credit: Bishnu Sarangi / Pixabay.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide a $484m loan for upgrading a road network in Tamil Nadu, India.

Part of India’s East Coast Economic Corridor, the Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) spans from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu and connects the country to the production networks of south-east and east Asia.

The project will upgrade nearly 590km of state highways in the CKIC’s vicinity to improve the road network’s transport connectivity and road maintenance.

It will include climate change adaptation measures such as raised road embankments in critical sections and improved drainage systems, as well as resizing bridges and culverts.

The project will introduce advanced technologies for road monitoring and enforcement to improve road safety, and improve the planning capacity of Tamil Nadu’s Highways and Minor Ports Department.

Tamil Nadu is home to several manufacturing industries, including the automobile, engineering, pharmaceutical, garment and aerospace industries.

ADB said that the project’s main aim is to create better connectivity for the state’s southern and central regions, which are located away from the industrial hubs, to encourage balanced and inclusive growth.

ADB South Asia Principal Transport Specialist Kanzo Nakai said: “The development of the CKIC is part of ADB’s commitment to the Government of India to stimulate growth in industrial corridors by linking industrial growth centres and ports along the coastline and integrating regional value chains.

“The project aims to increase the manufacturing industry’s participation in production networks and global value chains, as well as create jobs along the corridor.”

Last April, ADB agreed to provide a $177m loan for road upgrade works in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

The funding was given to rehabilitate around 25km of major district roads and widen 425km of state roads to the two-lane standard.