This charter is the statement of commitment of the Highways Department of Government of Tamil Nadu towards the citizens of India.

"To serve our customers, the road users of Tamil Nadu by providing high quality, cost effective, environmental friendly road network that is reliable and safe contributing to sustainable economic development and social well being of the state by applying innovation, best practices, appropriate technology and responsible management of internal and external resources".

Realising the need for an efficient road network for cost effective movement of men and material without which trade and industry cannot maintain a competitive edge, we dedicate ourselves to plan and implement the schemes relating to roads and bridges in a scientific and technological manner in tune with change of times.

We are consciously committed to achieve the goal of providing connectivity to the rural habitations to accelerate their economic development.

We resolve to protect all roads and bridges of Highways Department and to be vigilant against unauthorised encroachments which cause hindrance to the public at large and there by ensure citizen friendly approach.

We are currently implementing the following schemes to ensure better mobility and riding comfort to the travelling public.

A massive program of relaying of 5784 Km of Government roads is in progress.

Enhanced periodical maintenance of 730 Km of Government roads will be taken up with World Bank assistance under Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project.

Improvements to riding quality of surface and widening and strengthening of the Government roads viz., State Highways and Major District Roads to a length of 379 Km under Central Road Fund Scheme of 2002-2003 is in progress.

Further, Improvements to riding quality of surface and widening and strengthening of the Government roads viz., State Highways and Major District Roads to a length of 651 Km under Central Road Fund Scheme of 2003-2004 is in progress.

Under Part – II scheme for the year 2004-2005, Improvement of 77 kms of State Highways and 122 kms of Major District Roads at a cost of Rs. 15 crores will be taken up in this year.

Improvement of an additional 3000 Km of Other District Roads under HUDCO assistance is in progress.

Under Traffic and Transportation improvements in Chennai Metropolitan area 28 works at a cost of Rs. 50 crores is in progress. Further, construction of ROBs, missing links and improvement of Bus Routes in Chennai Metropolitan area will be taken up in 2004-2005.

Connectivity will be provided to 120 villages in the population group 500 – 1000 under rural roads scheme and 60 villages under special component plan scheme.

250 Km of roads will be improved under Bus Route improvement scheme.

1033 Km of Other District Roads will be improved under NABARD loan assistance scheme.

Construction of 150 bridges on Other District Roads for unbridged crossings at a cost of Rs.15 crores and rehabilitation of 45 bridges at a cost of Rs.10 crores will be taken up under Part – II scheme for the year 2004-2005

Construction of 8 bridges on Other District Roads, 25 bridges under Rural Roads scheme, 10 bridges under Bus Route scheme, 5 bridges under SCP scheme and 8 bridges under CRF scheme will be taken up in 2004-2005

Public can obtain full information about the functioning of Department in the web site www.tnhighways.org

We are committed to bring down the vehicle operating cost through better maintenance of roads and serve public to have easy accessibility and speedy transport between villages, inter district and inter states. The roads will be upgraded from Other District Roads to Major District Roads, Major District Roads to State Highways. Action is also being taken to upgrade the state roads to National Highways wherever they satisfy the norms.

The department will function in a time bound perspective and take quick decisions on important issues of public interest.

Institutional reforms on organization and management, core process, information system, Financial Mechanism and Regulatory context is contemplated. In principle approval of Government to the strategy has been accorded.

The Tamil Nadu Highways Act 2001 has come into force from 01-12-2002. The Tamil Nadu Highways Rules 2003 has also been framed in order to implement the Act.

This department has made use of facilities like INTERNET AND E-MAIL as means of communication with updated technology. Besides, in an effort to increase the quality of output in the functional efficiency, modernisation and capacity building efforts are undertaken. Highways department will be equipped with computers from Headquarters level to the Division level.

We resolve that we will receive general public as well as the contractors of the department and redress their grievances with least possible delay.

We further resolve to understand and approach the issues and problems with warmth and courtesy.

We affirm to act with complete integrity and devotion to duty as expected of public servants.

We will interact with all the related beneficiaries and due credence will be given to their suggestions.

We will reciprocate the feed back from the public and road users in the right spirit and initiate appropriate remedial and corrective action.

a. We expect the public, road users and the Non-Governmental organization to be objective in their appraisal of functioning of the Departmental for efficient and effective performance

b. We expect them to take into account of the limitations and constraints we face.

c. We expect them to furnish the documents in full shape and with complete information so as to achieve our goal.

d. We bonafidely expect them to give full facts without withholding any information for pecuniary benefits.

e. We do not expect the public and the persons involved in the functioning of the Department to approach with any inducement to delay or take a detour from our mission and motto

f. It is expected that the public and the persons interested in the administrations will not try to cause delay due to the inducement or act in a way so as to side track our motto and goal. They should co-operate with the Department by not resorting to encroachments of the Departments property or roadsides and help in the speedy movement of the traffic. During removal of unauthorised encroachments by the Department, the public and the road users should come forward to extend full co-operation

g. We expect the road users to observe the Rules of the Road to avoid accident and co-operate with the Department in its efforts to provide Road safety.

The Highways Department is headed by the Secretary to Government, Highways Department in the Secretariat. Under his control, Project Director, Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project, Director, Highways Research Station and six other Chief Engineers are working with individual functions. All the officers can be approached for any information, redressal of grievances and for offering suggestions leading to better and efficient service. The addresses of the officers are detailed hereunder:

The Joint Chief Engineer, Highways, Office of the Chief Engineer (General), Highways, Chennai-5 has been nominated as the Nodal Officer for attending to all representations received from Chief Minister’s Cell, M.L.A.s, M.P.s and Public and his Phone No. is 28544370.

SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT.