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Early repair of NH - 44 demanded

By CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR, May 23 � The National Highway - 44, which connects the Barak Valley, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura, is now in a very dilapidated condition. The road from Katigorah to Malidahar near Meghalaya border is in a very horrible state. The buses now cover the distance in 17 to 20 hours, whereas the normal time is 12 hours.

The ever widening craters and potholes have become a virtual death traps for the commuters of different vehicles. Citizens of the area under the banner of Katigorah Development Committee led by its president Nabendu Shekhar Nath met the executive engineer of NH Division, Pranab Sinha, recently and pressed for early improvement of the highway.

It is to be mentioned that more than one-and-half months have elapsed since the most powerful and flamboyant Minister of Excise and Border Area Development, Gautom Roy, gave a commitment to the people of Katigorah that he would personally see that NH-44 stretch in Barak Valley is repaired and improved.

A cross-section of people under the banner of various organizations were compelled to stage angry demonstration against PWD (NH) division of Cachar and blocked the highway for hours recently. Apprehending serious law and order problem following the blockade of highway, stranding hundreds of passenger and commercial vehicles, Gautom Roy, came down to Katigorah to pacify the agitated people. He assured them that within a month, the highway would be improved for which Rs 140 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre.

The Barak Valley stretch of the highway extends from Churaibari-Tripura border to Malidahar on Meghalaya border. The minister in order to reinforce his commitment came to the troubled spot along with the deputy commissioner, SP, executive engineer of NH division and other officials.

The deadline of assurance however expired on April 30 and the aggrieved people have been virtually left groping in darkness, waiting for the minister to turn up and see for himself how the condition of highway has further worsened, compounded by the heavy showers lashing the border constituency. The plight of local people travelling by or riding different modes of transport as well as those taking to long distance day or night super buses and inter valley vehicles can well be imagined.

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