State of highways

The condition of national highways across Assam is not as good as it should have been. And this has happened despite the present NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying maximum emphasis on connectivity in the Northeastern region. Certain major stretches of the four-lane National Highways in Assam have missed their deadline for construction several times. Among them, the most significant is the Haflong-Silchar stretch of the National Highway, which constitutes a vital portion of the ambitious East-West Corridor. It is very surprising and sad to note that the East-West Corridor, which is India’s biggest highway project, linking Porbandar in Gujarat in the West to Silchar in Assam in the East, was started way back in 1998. While the entire stretch of the 3400-km highway running through states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam has been completed long ago, only the NHAI knows why it is working so hard to create a world record by still struggling with the Haflong-Silchar stretch even as the launching of the project is inching towards completing thirty years. Similarly, the Jorhat-Dibrugarh stretch of NH-37 has been in very poor shape for a long time, leading to public complaints and criticism for the past several years. While people have been suffering for no fault of theirs and firms assigned to carry out the construction work have been doing their work at their own sweet will, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, had to assure Parliament earlier this month that repairs would be completed within six months. The condition of the National Highway between Baihata Chariali and Srirampur too is much better in comparison to the National Highways in other parts of the state. But the NH passing through Nagaon district apparently has all kinds of defects, especially when it comes to ensuring a smooth surface in culverts and approaches to bridges.