GUWAHATI, Aug 2 - A total of 2,723 roads in 32 districts of the State, totaling around 4,245.09 km, were affected in the floods this year, according to a preliminary report prepared by the Public Works Department. Taking into consideration the damages in the first wave (till June 11) of the flood, which had also affected 39 roads, the department would require Rs 677 crore for the restoration work.
In the second wave, there were 641 breaches on the roads, the maximum in Barpeta (287), followed by 81 in Dhubri and 36 and 34 in Dhemaji and Morigaon, respectively.
Eight semi-permanent timber (SPT) bridges (5 in Nalbari, 2 in Kamrup and one in Dhubri) were washed away, while 53 others were damaged.
An RCC bridge was also washed away on Jirighat-Bahadurpur Road in Cachar district.
Altogether 437 RCC/SPT bridge approaches were damaged, 47 culverts washed away and 932 culverts damaged.
�The projected temporary restoration cost is Rs 334.94 crore, while for immediate restoration we would require Rs 342.47 crore. However, the report is preliminary. The cost of temporary and immediate restoration against a number of damaged roads and bridges are yet to be assessed,� a PWD official said.
The Centre has released Rs 251.55 crore to the State Disaster Response Fund for management of disaster in view of the floods.
In the supplementary demands for grants passed in the Assembly, the State finance department has allocated Rs 150 crore to the PWD from the SOPD (State Own Priority Development) Fund for the flood-damage repair works. Another Rs 150 crore would be made available for the flood-damage repair works within this year, the government has committed. The department had sought Rs 342 crore for immediate restoration works and another Rs 334 crore for permanent restoration works.
The road network in Assam has grown to over 55,784 km. The State road network, managed by the PWD (Roads), is 44,862 km long. It includes State highways, major district roads and rural roads network of about 7,000 km.
