Sethusamudram project to be completed by Nov 2008: Baalu

CHENNAI: Unfazed by the stiff opposition from various quarters to demolition of Ram Sethu as part of
the Sethusamudram Project, Union Shipping and Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu on Sunday said that the multi-crore project would be completed by November 2008.
    
"The project will be completed in November next year and the first ship will be flagged off by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi," he said after inaugurating a free medical camp here.
    
Reacting to AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's claim that the Sethusamduram project 'was as good as dropped', the Ministersaid 'she has been sidelined by people in the last Assembly election. She is making such statements only to be in news'.
    
Baalu said the Centre had constituted a committee of experts to examine the project and the public could give their views to it till October 31.
    
Based on that, a report would be submitted to the Supreme Court, he added.