NEW DELHI, June 28 � Alarmed by the inordinate delays in execution of infrastructure projects in the region, mostly belonging to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Minister, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Paban Singh Ghatowar, is likely to lead a delegation of Chief Ministers of the region to meet the Prime Minister with their complaints.
Briefing newsmen on conclusion of the meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) today. The Minister said that participants expressed concern at the projects not being executed on schedule. The Governors and Chief Ministers were of the opinion that physical infrastructure development activities in the NER have to accelerate. Improvement in road, rail and air connectivity should be a focus area.
It has been decided that all CMs of the North Eastern States (NES) to be led by Minister DoNER will meet the PM to discuss some of the issues of the region, Ghatowar said.
Some of the projects that have suffered delays include national projects like the Silchar-Lumding gauge conversion project and Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge. A separate meeting is proposed to be convened, which would be chaired by secretary, DoNER, where the Ministry of Road Transport would make a presentation.
Describing the gauge conversion project as vital, Ghatowar said it will provide connectivity with hill States besides neighbouring Bangladesh. The project is now scheduled to be completed by December 2014. The completion of the tunnel is proving to be a major hurdle.
A presentation by the Railways reflected that North Eastern Region has a rail link of 3908 km including 2497 km of BG. Railways have plans for conversion of all MG and narrow gauge lines into BG by 2014.
At least three hubs for parking big aircraft at Guwahati, Imphal and Agaratala are being taken up. The hub at Guwahati would serve as an inter-regional one and that of Agartala and Imphal as intra-regional hub. Expansion of apron is being carried out for parking more aircraft, while Tezu, Along, Passighat, Daporizo and Ziro airports are being developed, Ghatowar said.
