Guwahati, March 14 (PTI): The Assam Assembly today expressed dissatisfaction over the tardy pace of work in four-laning of Naional Highways in the state and asked the government to expedite it for benefitting the public.
“Yes, it is true that the work (on NH projects) is slow. These are being implemented by two central agencies -- NHAI and NHIDCL. Apart from the new roads, the repair works are also not satisfactory,” Assam PWD Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said in the House.
Taking part in a discussion during the Zero Hour, he said there are 11 projects going on in the state to repair 403 kilometre of highways at a cost of Rs 99 crore that are supposed to be over by April 15 this year.
“I personally wrote to the Centre to expedite the work. The Chief Minister himself is taking interest and at least once in a month he contacts the agencies,” Suklabaidya said.
He also informed the House that four-laning of the NH-37 from Numaligarh, an over Rs 400 crore project, was supposed to be over by 2018, but has been delayed by 3-4 years as the contractor was changed last year.
Mentioning the pathetic conditions of the NH in different parts of the state, Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said: “I can understand these are being done by central agencies. But you (Assam government) please see if a mechanism can be evolved for monitoring of the projects.” He suggested the Assam government to talk to the Centre for having a committee, comprising members from the state, to regularly assess the progress of such projects as it affects the public directly. Earlier, the issue was raised by former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and his party colleague Bhabendra Nath Bharali in the House.
