TURA: Coal truck owners from South Garo Hills have urged the East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner to intervene and facilitate the construction of the By-pass road from Darugre tri-junction to Nongchram Suregittim by-passing the Rongjeng Market as is being proposed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as part of the new NH- 44E.
The coal truck owners on Tuesday under the aegis of the Nongal-Dobu Coal Truck Owners’ Association said that the construction of the proposed road was necessary for several reasons.
“The NHAI has proposed the By-pass road but some vested interest people from Rongjeng are opposing the same fearing that the stretch from Rongjeng tri-junction to Darugre tri-junction will not be taken care off in the future. However, even after the construction of NH- 44E By-pass, NH- 62 will continue to cover the portion from Rongjeng tri-junction to Darugre tri-junction (NH- 62 + NH- 44E) and there is no question of abandoning the road in future,” the coal truck owners said.
It may be mentioned that the Darugre tri-junction is where the two national highways, the NH- 62 and NH- 44E will meet.
The coal truck owners informed that the most difficult problem they currently face in the old route via Rongjeng market was the strong opposition by local people due to its (Rongjeng market) location as well as that of several local schools. They added that if the current problem is to be solved, the construction of the By-pass was a must which should not be opposed.
“Currently, authorities have put up ‘No Entry’ timings from 5 am to 7 pm for plying coal trucks via Rongjeng market which not only wastes valuable time for transportation of coal but also puts the coal trucks at risk from dacoits and extortionists as they have to ply only at night. The construction of the By-pass will solved this problem. However, if the opposition persists, they should be no objections to the plying of coal trucks day and night via the old route and there should also not be ‘No Entry’ timings,” they said.