Salem (Tamil Nadu), Jun 8 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Friday said the government will build a new bus port on 60 acres.

He also said the proposed Rs 10,000 crore eight-lane expressway between Chennai-Salem will reduce road accident deaths, travel time and fuel consumption.

Inaugurating a portion of the two-tier flyover here, Palaniswami said in an attempt to reduce the traffic congestion in Salem a bus port will be built near here.

Salem is about 350 km from Tamil Nadu capital Chennai.

He said once the project report is prepared, the foundation stone will be laid for the bus port and construction work would begin.

According to Palaniswami, the eight-lane expressway will enable faster movement of heavy vehicles within and outside the state.

He said national highways in Tamil Nadu were built 15-20 years back and as the traffic has increase 100 per cent since then, the Central government has planned the project to build a modern expressway.

Palaniswami said former Defence Minister and the current Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said defence component factory will be set up in Salem.