GUWAHATI, Aug 1 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has requested Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari to direct the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) to improve the condition of the national highways in the State or to change the policy and hand over responsibility to the State PWD.
In a letter to Gadkari today, Gogoi said that as per the policy decision of the Ministry, though the State PWD had handed over stretches of national highways 37, 37A, 52 and 53 to the NHIDCL, the Corporation has neither taken up construction activities nor undertaken maintenance work, leaving the State in the lurch.
It may be mentioned that as per the policy decision of the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, the State PWD has already handed over the stretches of NH-37 from Numaligarh to Dibrugarh and from Nagaon to Kaliabor, of NH-37A from Kaliabor to Dolabari, of NH-52 from Dolabari to Holongi via Gohpur and NH-53 Panchgram area in Barak Valley and Silchar ISBT to the NHIDCL for construction and maintenance. However, the NHIDCL so far has not taken any interest either in construction or maintenance of the highways.
The situation in the said stretches of these highways has become so bad that some patches in them have turned into virtual craters. In fact, the pathetic condition of these roads has caused much resentment amongst the people and the demand for their maintenance is growing and intensifying.
Gogoi said, �I urge Union Minister Gadkari to instruct the NHIDCL to take immediate remedial measures, failing which the ministry should revert to its earlier policy and allow us to develop and maintain our stretches of highways.�
Further, Gogoi said though Rs 218 crore was sanctioned in November 2014 for maintenance of NH-44, the lifeline of Barak Valley and link to Tripura and Mizoram, the work has not been allotted till date. Because of the mega block imposed by the NF Railway for gauge conversion work and the resultant huge traffic load on NH-44, it has become almost impossible to maintain the highway with normal repair fund.
Moreover, a project worth Rs 55 crore on NH-52 at a vulnerable stretch near Bandardewa, which was sanctioned in December 2014, also hit a logjam as the work is still to be allotted.
Another two important projects on NH-52 and NH-31 allotted in January 2015 could not be started by the State PWD due to �non-reporting� by the Authority Engineers engaged by the ministry, despite several requests by the State government.
