The project, which aims to create a sea link between the western and eastern coasts of India without the need to go around Sri Lanka.
The project was originally conceived by Command Taylor in 1860 at a cost of Rs 50 lakh.
Later in 2004, ₹2,427 crore was allotted by the UPA government.
After protests from environmentalists and Hindu groups to the destruction of the Ram Setu, the project was put on hold.
On Thursday, all political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the BJP, supported a resolution demanding the central government to resume the Sethusamudram project, that would created a sea link between India’s western and eastern coasts without having to sail around Sri Lanka.
“The house expresses concern that continued delay in the execution of this project will be a stumbling block for the development and expansion of Tamil Nadu.”
The resolution amplifies the demand for the project, citing the recent statement by the Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Adam’s Bridge or “Ram Setu” in which he said even though there were “some indication”, it was “difficult” to say whether a land link of religious significance, as described in the Indian epic Ramayana, actually existed between India and Sri Lanka.
The Sethusamudram project, a vision of DMK founder Anna Durai and cbacked by late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, obtained approval during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s BJP-led administration.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Congress-led administration finally launched the $2,400 billion programme, but it was halted in 2007 by the Supreme Court as a result of objections from Hindu religious organisations and cautionary signals from some environmentalists.
The BJP, which had opposed the project earlier, supported the resolution on Thursday.
The leader of the BJP in the house, Nainar Nagendran, said, “This resolution has our support. The project would be welcomed if Ram Setu would not be impacted. If the initiative is successful, no one would be happier than us in the south (south Tamil Nadu).”
SC grants Centre time till Feb 1st week to respond on plea seeking ‘Ram Setu’s declaration as national heritage monument
SC to hear Ram Setu PIL in February
The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would take up Subramanian Swamy’s plea seeking a direction to declare the Ram Setu a national heritage monument in the second week of February. The BJP leader submitted that he had already won the first round of the litigation in which the Centre accepted the existence of Ram Setu.
