Guwahati: Expressing concern over the slow pace of progress of construction of National highways across the state, Assam Legislative Assembly speaker Biswajit Daimary on Monday asked the officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) to submit a status report on the progress of various National highway projects in the state within a week.
Under the Speaker’s Initiative, Daimary has called a meeting of the MLAs of Upper Assam, along with officials of the NHIDCL, NHAI and senior government to examine the progress of the work on NH 37, especially the road stretch from Numaligarh to Tinsukia.
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The NHIDCL has been entrusted with the responsibility of the work on converting the NH 37 to a four-lane one. The work was started in 2015-16 but is yet to be completed, causing inconvenience to the people.
“We have convened a meeting with the NHIDCL and NHAI officials today. In this meeting, the MLAs of these areas were present and the reason for the delay of completion of roads was examined. We also discussed the measures to be adopted for speeding up the work,” Speaker Biswajit Daimary told reporters after the meeting.
“The NH stretch from Numaligarh to Tinsukia is yet to be completed. The condition of the road is worse and not motorable at all. Based on a notice issued by Sarupathar MLA Biswajit Phukan during the autumn session, the Assembly has adopted a resolution to discuss with NHAI and NHIDCL,” Daimary said.
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“We also examined the issues. The progress of NH stretches in other parts of the state was also discussed. They have submitted various factors leading to delays in the implementation of the projects. There are land acquisition problems in many places, there are contractors’ issues leading to a slow pace of progress. In the Numaligarh-Tinsukia stretch, the NHIDCL has terminated three contractors and right now the fourth contractor is working,” Daimary also said.
“The officials assured us that they would complete all works by June next year. We have also discussed the condition of NH projects in Srirampur-Barpeta —Nalbari, Baihati-Biswanath — Tezpur and state highways connecting Bhutan via Samthaibari,” he said.
“We sought a status report from NHAI and NHIDCL on all NH projects and then we will visit the spot and hold a meeting with all stakeholders, including state PWD,” he also said.
“We also seek a report on the status of the progress of Phulbari Bridge in Dhubri. Ana Assembly team led by me will visit Phulbari for a spot study,” he added.
The stretch of the NH 37 running from Jorhat to Bogibeel junction near Lepetkatta is the cause of concern to the authorities. NHDCL has divided the work into four packages and the work has been done on this stretch through contractors assigned for the packages.
On October 31, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari visited the state and reviewed the work on the National Highway. Gadkari admitted to the tardiness of the work being carried out on NH 37 in Upper Assam and commiserated with the people who are suffering as a result of the slow pace of work.