The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, which has been encountering harsh protests by locals since its announcement, has finally gained the much-awaited go-ahead signal from the Madras High Court.

The court dismissed the all the petitions filed on environment safety, and sustained the clearance granted recently by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

Krishna Srinivasan, counsel for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) claimed that the corporation’s safety standards are in the utmost order.

Giving a green signal to the commissioning of units 1 and 2 of the nuclear plant, a division bench said the project didn’t lack any clearance from any authority.

The division bench comprised of justice P Jyothimani and Justice M Duraiswamy ruled, "There is absolutely no impediment to proceed in units 1 and 2 of KNPP.”

The court said it couldn’t doubt the AERB's expertise. The Pollution Control Board and AERB were ordered to carry out regular inspection at the upcoming nuclear plant. Responding to the court’s order, AERB secretary R Bhattacharya said that they would follow the court’s order and supervise the execution of all safety measures by NPCIL throughout the commissioning of the project.

The cost of nuclear project, units 1 and unit 2, was originally estimated at Rs 13,171 crore. But the delay in commissioning of the plant will reportedly push the cost up to Rs 17,270.