HAFLONG, Oct 29 - The Dimasa Students� Union (DSU) has demanded an inquiry into alleged misappropriation of fund in the name of maintenance of the Nriambunglo-Jatinga and Jatinga-Harangajao portion of the National Highway-54 E. DSU general secretary Pramith Sengyung said they recently visited the Nriambunglo-Jatinga, and Jatinga-Harangajao portions of the NH-54 E and found that the maintenance work being carried out was of very poor or substandard quality. He said there have been demands from various organisations for immediate completion of the portion but the NHAI has not paid attention to the matter.
The Jatinga-Harangajao section is affected by landslides, and looking into the gravity of problem, it was decided to adopt for a split 4-lane construction (two lanes on new alignment and two lanes along the existing alignment) for the affected section for which a firm was engaged by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for preparation of Detailed Project Report. The people of Dima Hasao are yet to find good communication links in the region even after waiting for decades. There has been no sign of completion of the East West corridor from Porbandar to Silchar which runs through Dima Hasao.
Up to 1995, road communication from Haflong to Silchar and Haflong to Diphu were regular, as there were 10 ASTC buses from Haflong, but now there is only one service due to the deplorable road condition. Though construction of the NH-54 E started long way back, the portions from Nriambunglo to Jatinga, Jatinga to Harangajao and Harangajao to Balachera are yet to be completed and the road is now in a very dilapidated condition.
People here said many agitations have taken place and memorandums demanding completion of the portions have been submitted, but the authorities have remained indifferent. Sometimes, the NHAI engages contractors for maintenance, but there has been no permanent solution.
According to the Press Information Bureau, Government of India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a communication dated July 19, 2018, had said that with regard to four-laning of NH-54 in Assam, the work for the Balachera-Harangajao section was awarded by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) in October 2017 at a cost of Rs 519.30 crore.
