V.D. Satheesan Requests Vijay's Intervention Over Kerala Construction Material Policy

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, seeking his intervention to ease restrictions on the transportation of construction materials from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. In the letter, Satheesan said the issue was affecting the timely execution of several National Highway projects in Kerala and emphasised the long-standing relationship of cooperation between the two neighbouring states.

Referring to a Tamil Nadu government gazette notification issued on July 9, 2026, Satheesan said new regulations governing the inter-state transportation of rough stones and other construction materials had significantly disrupted the supply of stone aggregates from the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari. These districts have traditionally supplied a large share of the materials required for Kerala's ongoing highway infrastructure projects, he noted.

The Kerala Chief Minister explained that the state has limited availability of suitable stone aggregates for large-scale construction works, making it heavily dependent on supplies from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. He warned that the transportation restrictions have interrupted the supply chain, slowed construction activities and could delay the completion of several strategically important National Highway projects currently underway in the state.

Also Read: Kerala Introduces Price Shield Scheme Ahead Of Onam Festival Shopping

Highlighting the broader significance of the projects, Satheesan said they are expected to improve regional connectivity, strengthen logistics, facilitate trade and tourism, and enhance access to major economic centres in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. He added that the highways would also provide seamless connectivity to the Vizhinjam International Seaport and the International Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam, contributing to the economic growth and competitiveness of southern India.

While acknowledging Tamil Nadu's objective of ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources, Satheesan said he was confident that a balanced solution could be found to accommodate the needs of nationally significant infrastructure projects without compromising the state's policy goals. He urged Chief Minister Vijay to consider granting suitable relaxations or creating a mechanism to ensure the uninterrupted movement of stone aggregates meant exclusively for National Highway and other critical infrastructure projects in Kerala, saying such a step would reinforce the spirit of cooperative federalism between the two states.

Also Read: Kerala Tightens Purse As Fiscal Pressures Continue To Mount