Low Quality Work, Fund Misappropriation in State Highway Construction

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: M/s Purbanchal Suppliers Contractors has allegedly indulged in large-scale misappropriation of fund and resorted to low-quality work while constructing the two-lane State Highway from Khajuwa Tiniali of Dhakuakhona LAC to Kherkota Bridge under Majuli LAC.

The people of Maj Jalbhari village of Dhakuakhona subdivision and Dhakuakhona regional unit of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) alleged that the State Highway was not constructed by the contractor as per the estimate with a view to misappropriate the fund allotted. They also alleged that the contractor had done low-quality work while constructing the highway.

A fund of Rs. 21.29 crore was allotted under CRF in 2017-18 session to construct the 13.29-km road, upgrading it as State Highway, in order to connect the largest river island Majuli with the rest of the world. The contract for the construction of the highway was issued to M/s Purbanchal Suppliers Contractors. MLA of Majuli as well as the Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the construction of the highway on April 5 in presence of Dhakuakhona MLA and State P&RD Minister Naba Kumar Doley and Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah.

As part of the development of the construction, the contractor implemented the black topping work on a 505-metre portion of the highway between Jalbhari MV School and a culvert at Bhati Jalbhari village four days ago. But the black topping and the layer of stones under it detached at three spots within the portion on the very next day because of low quality work by the construction company concerned. The local people expressed strong resentment against the company and the Dhakuakhona regional unit of AJYCP on Wednesday demanded that the company should do quality work, else the organization would resort to democratic agitation.

On the other hand, non-cooperation of electricity and forest departments regarding the construction of the highway was also alleged. Though the Electricity Department must remove the electric posts by the side of the old road in order to widen the highway, it allegedly did not do so. Similarly, the Forest Department has not cleared the way by removing and cutting the bushes and trees to widen the road. As a result of this, the contractor had constructed the road wide in some portions and narrow in some portions, taking advantage of the non-cooperation of the two departments.

Also read: Organisations demand speedy Trans Arunachal Highway construction