Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Congress MP from Jorhat and Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, wrote a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari today, seeking an urgent review of the delays and irregularities in the ongoing Jorhat-Dibrugarh National Highway project in Upper Assam.
In his letter, Gogoi expressed concern over the “slow pace, poor quality and mismanagement” of the project, which he said has caused “severe hardship” to commuters, transporters, and local residents. The MP pointed out that despite repeated assurances from the Central Government that the project would be completed by December 31, 2025, “ground realities tell a different story.”
“Large portions of the highway remain incomplete and poorly maintained, causing severe hardship to daily commuters, transporters, and local residents. Several stretches have deteriorated into dangerous conditions, undermining public safety and regional connectivity in Upper Assam,” Gogoi stated.
The Congress leader also referred to the recent arrest of Riten Kumar Singh, Executive Director and Regional Officer of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Guwahati, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Singh was allegedly caught accepting an Rs 10 lakh bribe from a private contractor in exchange for favourable project extensions and completion certificates.
The CBI’s recovery of over Rs 2.62 crore in cash and unaccounted assets from multiple cities, Gogoi said, ‘suggests that corruption has compromised the integrity of NHIDCL’s regional operations’ and likely contributed to the project’s poor execution.
Calling the Jorhat-Dibrugarh highway a ‘lifeline’ for Upper Assam, Gogoi urged the Ministry to undertake a comprehensive review of the project, with particular focus on the stretches around Dikhow, Gaurisagar, Sivasagar, Moran, and Dibrugarh.
“It is important that progress and quality of work are closely examined and that appropriate steps are taken to ensure transparency, accountability, and timely completion,” he added.
Gogoi’s intervention comes amid growing public dissatisfaction in Upper Assam over delayed infrastructure projects. He has sought Gadkari’s personal intervention to ensure that “public resources are protected, timelines are honoured, and the project reflects the standards of integrity and efficiency that citizens deserve.”
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