Assam PWD minister Parimal Shuklabaidya during a discussion on zero hour on March 14, 2018.

The Assam Assembly on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work in four-laning of National Highways in the state.  Assam PWD Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya admitted in the House that progress the four-laning works was very slow.

โ€œThese are being implemented by two central agencies โ€” NHAI and NHIDCL. Apart from the new roads, the repair works are also not satisfactory,โ€ he said.

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Taking part in a discussion during the Zero Hour, he said there are 11 projects going on in the state to repair 403 km of highways at a cost of Rs 99 crore that are supposed to be over by April 15 this year. โ€œBut the contracts were awarded recently. Moreover, people are confused which road belongs to NHAI and which to NHIDCL,โ€ he said.

Shuklabaidya said he personally wrote to the Centre to expedite the work. โ€œThe Chief Minister himself is taking interest and at least once in a month he contacts the agencies,โ€ he added.

He further told the House that four-laning of the NH-37 from Numaligarh was supposed to be over by 2018, but has been delayed by 3-4 years as the contractor was changed last year.

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Reacting on the slow pace of works Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said, โ€œI can understand these are being done by central agencies. But you please see if a mechanism can be evolved for monitoring of the projects.โ€