Centre Moved on Poor Condition of National Highways

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Achik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF) has sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the pitiable condition of the National Highways which runs through Garo Hills region.

There are two National Highways in Garo hills - NH-62 and NH-51. In the memorandum to Prime Minister Modi the AIJIP said that the deplorable road condition of NH–62 and NH–51 (Now new NH-217) in South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills has been an eyesore for decades.

“Irked by the negligence of the PWD (Roads) NH division, we seek immediate Central Government intervention to look into the issue,” the AIJIF stated in its memorandum. According to the forum the sorry State of affairs has been a hindrance to the people in South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills, which has put the district in the remotest corner of the country as one of the most “backward” districts in the Meghalaya State. The AIJIF has urged upon the Centre to improve the pathetic road even as it blames the State government for the sad state of affair, the forum stated in its memorandum.

The AIJIF pointed out that edges of the road are broken and the width has become lesser than that of minor village link road and big potholes are common sights and the travellers have to face tremendous difficulties of which jerking is the most common all along the road. The total length of the NH 62 is 195 km of which 5 km lies in Assam

and the rest 190 km is in Meghalaya and the total length of NH 51 is 149 km which starts from Paikan in Assam and ends at Dalu in Meghalaya. The highway is 149 km long of which 22 km is in Assam and the rest 127 km is in Meghalaya.

The AIJIF pointed out that this national highway (51) is very significant as it connects Meghalaya to Bangladesh and is a prime means of trade and business for people of Meghalaya, but due to the poor condition of this road the trade and commerce have been impacted negatively in a severe manner. NH-62 links Dudhnai in Goalpara district Assam to Karongre in South Garo Hills district in Meghalaya via Baghmara which lies along International border of India and Bangladesh. The AIJIF states in its memorandum to the Prime Minister that NH 62 is ill-reputed for its 23 wooden bridges which are in deplorable condition and stretches all the way from Jadigittim to the Karongre in South Garo Hills. These bridges are being taken care of by Coal Exporters Association in the absence of maintenance by the concerned authorities.