OUR CORRESPONDENT
MANGALDAI: The construction agency's unnecessary delay and slow pace of work on the NH-15 Mangaldai bypass have drawn strong criticism, even as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways granted a second extension till November 30, 2026.
The Rs 535-crore, 15.1km bypass being constructed by Hyderabad-based Vensar Construction Company Ltd had started on April 28, 2023, with an initial deadline of April 27, 2025.
The first extension of tender (EOT) was granted on September 15, 2025, and was valid till March 1, 2026. After it lapsed, MoRTH's Regional Office, Guwahati, issued a second EOT on June 24, 2026, extending the deadline to November 30, 2026.
Progress reports show minimal movement. Physical progress was 64.15% on March 9, 2026. It rose to 75.65% on June 2, and only to 76.82% by July 13 - an increase of just 1.17% in six weeks. Financial progress stood at 63.05% with over Rs 373 crore spent.
Officials said that all hindrances, including removal of illegal structures, were cleared by October 2025. Despite that, work failed to pick up pace.
A high-level team of the Darrang district administration and National Highways authorities, led by the district commissioner, recently inspected the sites and expressed dissatisfaction over the contractor's approach.
With less than four months left until the revised deadline, the bypass, crucial for decongesting Mangaldai town, remains far from completion.
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