Roads to prosperity

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, May 1: Union Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced various road projects for Aruchal Pradesh and laid the foundation stones of five important roads with total length of 542.27 kilometers involving an estimated cost of Rs 3, 286.28 crore to boost up accelerated development in the land-locked state.

The minister, who was scheduled to visit Ziro in Lower Subansiri district could not make it due to inclement weather and laid the foundation stone of 2 laning of Potin to Panging section of NH 229, 2 laning of Pasighat to Panging section of NH 229, 2 laning of Changlang/Tirap district boundary to Changlang section of NH 52 B, 2 laning of Mahadevpur to Buri Dihing section of NH 52 B and 2 laning of Longding to Kanubari section of NH 52 B.

The minister, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, State Chief Minister bam Tuki and PWD minister Gojen Gadi earlier on the day, dedicated the 32.50 km Stilwell road section from Jairampur to Pangsau Pass in the Indo-Myanmar border to the tion.

“The Centre is committed for development of Aruchal and is initiating various schemes to connect the land-locked state with rest of the country,” Gadkari said while addressing a Press conference here.

He said, the ministry had already agreed in principal to provide a package of 5000 crore to the state for construction of various tiol Highways through the newly constituted tiol Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), especially for the North East states.

“Out of the package e-tenders for six road projects mely, two laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km 21.500 to km 53.500 (package-I), Two laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km 53.500 to km 92.500 (Package-II), 2-laning of existing Hunli-Anini road on EPC basis from design km. 92.500 to km. 131.920 (Package III), 2 laning of Akajan-Likabali- Bame  Road from Km. 12.00  to Km. 33.00, 2 laning of Changlang District Boundary to Khonsa Section from Km 146.0 to Km 190.0 and 2 laning of Singer River to  Sizoh la Section from Km 22.0 to Km 62.0 under SARDP-NE and accordingly e-tenders have been invited and the process will be end by May 18 next,” he said.

“The cost of the projects have been estimated at Rs 2500 crore,” the minister added.

He said, he had approved in principal three strategic road proposals submitted by the state government including the industrial corridor from Bhairavkund to Ruksin, Tawang to Vijaygar road and Bomdila to Tawang road.

“I have asked the state government to send proposals for important roads other than PMGSY roads but the cost for land acquisition and forest clearance has to bear by the state and my ministry will bear the project cost,” the minister informed.

Stating that road development in Aruchal was not to the mark in the past few decades, Gadkari disclosed that the NDA government at the Centre had decided to plan small projects to the tune of 50 crore so that the local contractors could execute the works.

He said, the ministry had also laid special emphasis on development of Inland water ways and the Parliament had already given clearance for five such projects in the country.

Gadkari, earlier in the day, called on state Governor Lt. General Nirbhay Sharma (Retd) at Raj Bhawan and discussed on road communication and its impacts in the developmental process of the state.

The Governor emphasised on expediting the road projects in the state.

Citing slow progress of road works, he called for persol attention of the Union Minister on the projects in view of its strategic importance. The Governor said that these roads can bring huge economic prosperity in Aruchal Pradesh.

from jorhat Correspondent

Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways & Shipping Nitin Jairam Gadkari today laid the foundation stones of ten different highway projects, that includes four-laning of the Numaligarh-Demow section, and the altertive highway connecting Koliabor-Gohpur-Numaligarh and the Silchar – Badarpur section.

“Where there is a will, there is a way and where there is no will, there is no way but only surveys, meetings and discussions. Our government is committed to the overall development of the State in terms of roads and infrastructure which has been a long-standing demand of the people of this region,” said Gadkari at the function.

He stated that the main hurdle of every road project is land acquisition and forest clearance, because of which certain projects get delayed.

The Union minister said that the Centre is willing to fund strategic road projects in the State, provided the State government expedites land acquisitions and forest clearances.

He said the Centre has also taken up a project, awaiting cabinet approval, by which 101 rivers of the country will constitute an inland water traffic network, in which 14 rivers of Assam including the Brahmaputra, Subansiri, Doyang, Lohit and Beki will be linked up.

“Recently, during my visit to Sweden, I drove a bus capable of running on roads and also float on water. Introduction of hovercrafts on the river Brahmaputra may be a viable option. With cooperation from the State government, we can usher in an era of prosperity and progress,” he said.

Not to be outdone in trumpeting the “initiatives” of the Congress government, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, “I admit that there is still much to be done in terms of roads and infrastructural development in the State, but I would like remind all that the decision to build roads under the tiol Highway project was taken long before by the Congress government at the Centre and it is now that the present Central government is implementing these projects.”

“14 years back Assam had only 309 concrete bridges while others were mostly made of wood and bamboo. But now the scerio has changed with more than 3,900 RCC bridges and village roads constructed by the state PWD. The East-West Corridor project was first started during our government. I welcome Nitin Gadkari on his visit to Assam and hope that both the State and the Central governments can work hand in hand in taking Assam to new heights,” Gogoi stated.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, in his address said, “From yesterday, I have been on a tour with our honourable Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who has laid the foundation stone of tiol Highway projects worth Rs 13,000 crores in the Northeast. The Assam projects are worth Rs 5,300 crore, and in the next 5 to 6 years there will be a huge transformation in terms of roads and infrastructure.”