Khandu seeks Centre's help to complete vital roadways

 FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITAGAR, Feb 28: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu requested Union Minister of Road, Transport & Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari to help the State government in completing the Potin-Panging stretch of the Trans Aruchal Highway (TAH). Khandu, along with Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Deputy Chief Minister Chow Mein, Tourism Minister Jarkar Gamlin, Deputy Speaker Tumke Bagra and others, called on the Union Minister in New Delhi and discussed various road projects in the State, an official communiqué stated.
Khandu, during the meeting, stressed that the 407-km Potin-Pangin stretch of the TAH is of utmost importance and needs immediate attention of the Central Government for its completion. The project is on suspension after the concessioire gave foreclosure notice to the Ministry on February 2 last. The State Government had earlier apprised the Ministry about the gravity of the situation through a letter February 13 last.
After detailed discussions at the meeting and acknowleding the dilapidated condition of the existing road, Gadkari directed the Union Road, Transport and Highway Secretary, Director General and other officers of the Ministry to present that tenders to be floated immediately by taking smaller packages so that construction on the road could be taken up simultaneously all along the stretch. The Minister further directed the officials that in the interregnum, the worst-affected portions of the road must be taken up for urgent maintence.
Gadkari also assured funds for the remaining two packages for 4-lanning of the Itagar-Banderdewa section and gave a go-ahead for floating tenders.
Package A (10.90 km) of the total road length of 31.50 km was sanctioned for Rs 341.83 crore during 2016-17 and the work is in progress. Detailed project reports (DPRs) for Package B and C (20.60 km) have been submitted to the Ministry and tenders would be floated immediately.
Legislators from the State including Tage Taki, Dikto Yekar and Tamar Murtem, besides officers of the Ministry and from the State Highway Division of PWD, were also present at the meeting, the communiqué added.

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