SILCHAR, Jan 23 - Union Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for the ISBT Silchar to Srikona double-lane road stretch on the Silchar to Badarpur national highway during his recent visit to Silchar.
Speaking at a meeting organized by the NHIDCL after laying the foundation stone, Sonowal echoed the demands for better road connectivity raised by the people of Barak Valley. He said that the Government is aware of the dilapidated road condition of the Valley.
He also said that he will meet Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari soon to propose new projects for the Valley. �The internal road connectivity of Barak Valley will be given complete makeover. The Silchar-Saurashtra Mahasadak, which is the dream of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, would be wrapped up soon. Also the Malidahar-Churai-bari road stretch will be improved. Better roads will help the farmers to reach to the markets to sell their products at due rates,� Sonowal said.
Silchar MP Susmita Dev thanked Sonowal for his concerns regarding the impasse on the Mahasadak. �Report has been sent to New Delhi from the Institute of Wildlife, Dehradun, and the matter will be looked into with priority,� Susmita said. She also drew the attention of Sonowal regarding the DPR for the Silchar-Guwahati alternate roadway.
Monoj Kumar Jain, general manager of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd � a fully owned company of the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (NHIDCL) � said that the project is estimated to cost Rs 70 crore.
The double-lane road will be 10 metres in breadth and 6 kms in length and the work is assigned to Gautam Constructions. He said that the NHIDCL was formed a year ago to set up roads, bridges and tunnels in North East India.
The company has started to work in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh since the last two months and offices have been opened in all the States of North East. �The Vision 2020 includes construction of roads tunnels and bridges in the region and Rs 60,000 crore has been allocated for the project. Assam will get Rs 25 crore,� Jain said.
