By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: PWD Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has said the four laning project of the Umiam-Jorabat stretch along the NH-40 (Shillong-Guwahati) road is not abandoned.
“It is true that the progress (of the project) is very slow at the moment. We are expecting that the pace would pick up in the coming weeks since the NHAI has given an assurance to complete the project by March, 2014,” Dhar said during an informal interaction with newsmen here on Tuesday.
He, however, said that one main reason for this unsatisfactory progress of the work as claimed by the NHAI was the controversial rallying of the Umsning Bypass.
“Even now there is a division among people whether the project should go through the existing road or the proposed Umsning Bypass. I am hopeful that this problem would be resolved at the earliest,” PWD Minister said.
When asked if there would be any penalty against the firm if it failed to complete the project within the given deadline, he said that he cannot say anything on this “since it is a Centrally sponsored project.”
“Our main concern is the timely completion of the project,” Dhar said while informing that the NHAI had claimed that 30 to 40 per cent of the work has already been completed.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma earlier had expressed confidence that the project would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of March next year. It may be mentioned that the construction of the four – lane project started in 2010.
The 62-km four-lane of NH 40 (Umiam to Jorabat) has been taken up by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as the implementing agency which is doing the work through Ms Ramky at a tender cost of Rs 536 crore.
The four-laning between Jorabat-Umiam Section of NH-40 has been accorded on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis in BOT (Annuity) mode of delivery under Special Accelerated Road Development Programme-North East (SARDP-NE Phase ‘A’). Approval of actual variation to the cost of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement and other pre-construction activities were granted.
The concession period is 20 years including construction period of three years.