From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Tuesday apprised the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister CP Joshi about the progress made in various road projects and reiterated his invitation to the to visit the hill state for an on the spot assessment and review.
Dr Sangma told Joshi that under the National Highway project revised cost estimates of five major roads have been submitted to the Ministry but sanctions are still awaited. “DPRs of several roads are completed or on advanced stage of completion and the same would be sent to the Ministry soon,” he said.
During the meeting, Dr Sangma brought to the notice of the Minister about the recent massive landslips on NH 44 between Jowai and Ratachera sector. The state with its limited resources could clear the huge road blocks by deploying heavy machineries, he said but demanded that the Ministry should provide funds for maintenance of this road and assign supervision work to the state PWD.
Dr Sangma also requested the Ministry for conversion of 26 timber bridges on NH 62 to permanent RCC structures. These old wooden bridges have got damaged in many places and not suitable for frequent and heavy traffic.
The Chief Minister thanked Joshi for the upgradation of the highway starting from Srirampur on NH 27, and passing through Dhubri connecting Phulbari, Tura, Rongrram, Ronjeng and terminating at Nongstoin. Of this national highway 361 km will be in Meghalaya and the remaining 40 km in Assam.
“Upgradation of the Dhubri-Phulbari National Highway will have huge socio-economic implications for Assam and Meghalaya, particularly the latter. This road will end right at the border of Bangladesh and facilitate in trans-border trade,” Dr Sangma said.
With construction of a proposed bridge on the newly-announced national highway, there will be reduction of road length by around 185 km from the south bank of the Brahmaputra covering vast underdeveloped areas such as Tura, Williamnagar and Rajabala in Meghalaya and Hatsingimari, Mankachar, Fakirganj and South Salmara in Assam. The highways will benefit the economically-backward areas of West Garo Hills and Dhubri, which are closed in by the Brahmaputra on one side and Bangladesh on the other.In the economic sector the national highway will give a boost to cement, coal, oil and tea trade. It will also give a fillip to tourism in Meghalaya.
The Chief Minister urged Joshi to issue suitable instructions to begin work on the vital project expeditiously. The state Government on its parts will fully extend its support including land acquisition for this road, he said.