Assam En route to Better Roads

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Sept 10: Maintenance and repair of roads had been the most neglected ones in Assam for the past two years. The reasons may be cash crunch, inefficiency of the PWD or otherwise. The consequence of such negligence is manifest in the form of protests against the poor condition – from rural roads to national highways. Had there been repair and maintenance of roads in the past two years, the condition of roads in the State would not have come to such a pretty pass.

With Himanta Biswa Sarma taking on the mantle of PWD, of late, there has been a glimmer of hope among road users to be en route to better roads. Soon after assuming charge, he was on record warning contractors and engineers against any compromise in works. Work for repair and maintenance of roads has started at some places, but it is yet to pick up pace.

The previous government in the State did precious little for the maintenance of roads. The major constraint for the PWD during the past two years was financial sanction. With Sarma holding both the portfolios of Finance and PWD financial sanction for maintenance of roads is not likely to be a major hurdle now. In fact, it looks like an advantage for the PWD.

Apart from the State PWD, there are National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDC) for repair and maintenance of roads in the State. The stark contrast is – during the past two years the condition of the four-lane national highway extension from Nagaon-Dibrugarh was pathetic.

Even after Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal holding meetings with top NHIDC officials and stipulating time frame for the repair and maintenance of the road, there was no change in its condition. However, after Sarma coming at the helm of affairs in the PWD, a number of stretches of the four-lane highway are quite motorable. However, many stretches of national highways are in bad shape in upper Assam even now.

In his first Budget speech as the Finance Minister, Sarma did announce to have allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the repair and maintenance of roads in the State for three years. The people of Assam are hoping against hope that the amount will be spent properly so as to give succour to road users in the State.

Of late, each and every MLA has been asked to submit priority list of roads and bridges in his/her LAC. Some of the MLAs have already submitted their lists. Each LAC is set to get around Rs 25 crore for roads and bridges. If the amount is used properly, it is likely to reflect on the condition of roads in the State in the next two years.

During his first term as the Finance Minister, Sarma said while delivering his Budget speech: “…road maintenance in our State is both challenging and sensitive. I’ve realized that unless assured and adequate funding is not provisioned and timely and quality works are not executed, the public will continue to suffer due to bad communication.” Now as the PWD Minister, Sarma, it seems, is set to translate his Budget speech into a reality.