Four-Laning of NH-37 in Assam; Assembly Resents Slow Work

* No point of talking about advanced communication if highways are bad, says Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Several MLAs on Tuesday expressed grave concern and resentment over tardy four-laning works and repairing of the National Highway-37 stretching from Nagaon to Dibrugarh during the ongoing winter session of Assam Assembly.

Majority of the MLAs from the Treasury bench have demanded intervention of the State Government to compel the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) to immediately expedite four-laning and repairing works of NH-37.

AGP MLA Pradip Hazarika while raising the issue during the Question Hour of the Tuesday’s Assembly session, said four-laning of NH-37 between Numgaligarh and Dibrugarh is literally progressing at slower than snail’s pace and the entire stretch has become unmotorable causing immense sufferings to the people who pass through the highway.

Another AGP MLA, Satyabrata Kalita said one of the prime reasons for the inordinate delay in four-laning of NH-37 is contractors’ own whims and fancies to carry out construction work. He said majority of contractors neither start nor finish their works in time. “Punitive actions must be taken against such erring contractors,” Kalita said.

Responding to the issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assembly that the State Government is also worried about the slow progress of four-laning of NH-37; and that the Government is holding frequent meetings with the NHIDCL. He said the NHIDCL has now agreed to hold review and monitor the progress of four laning every week.

Patowary said services of two contractors have already been terminated for causing inordinate delays in execution of the four-laning project. He added that the NHIDCL referred to the hassles in land acquisition and the long rainy season (six months) as major factors delaying four-laning work of NH-37 at certain stretches.

Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami while giving his comment on the issue, said three months have already lapsed since the end of monsoon. He added that it is high time the authorities concerned expedite the highway work. “The government has to be serious on this issue. Unless the highways are good there is no point talking of advanced communication system,” Goswami said.

Patowary replied that the NHIDCL has already agreed to expedite the four-laning work and make various stretches of NH-37 serviceable through repairing.

Meanwhile, till October 31, 2019 there is zero progress in four-laning of NH 37 from Nagaon to Rangapara and the contract awarded to M/s TK Engineering has been terminated. There has been only 11.22 per cent work progress from Ragapara to Kaliabor Tiniali and notice has been served to the contractor. There is 31.05 per cent progress in four-laning work between Numaligarh and Jorhat due to the land-acquisition problem. The work progresses on the stretches of Jorhat-Jhanji, Jhanji-Demow and Demow-Moran are 3.77, 4.26 and 30.72 per cent respectively. There is zero work progress between Moran and the Bogibeel junction and the service of the earlier contractor has been terminated.

Also Read: Four injured in road mishap on NH-37 as Tata Ultra passenger bus collides with bike

Also Watch: AAMSU demands arrest of writer Satyaranjan Bora for writing controversial book on Islam & Quran