TURA: The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF) has urged Tura MP, Agatha K Sangma to look into the immediate construction of the proposed Tura Bypass of National Highway-51, in order to ease traffic congestion in the town as well as to improve the socio economic condition of Garo Hills as a whole.
In its memorandum submitted to Agatha through the deputy commissioner, the forum stated that while the construction works of double laning in NH-51 from 98th Km to Dalu border (148th Km) via Tura has already begun, it was yet to be known why the Tura Bypass project, included in the same DPR has been kept pending till date.
“As per our knowledge, the DPR for both the projects was supposed to have been submitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in September, 2013. It was also learnt that a firm from Jaipur had been consulted for making the DPR after which, the NHIDCL finalized the DPR for constructing the Tura-Dalu section of NH-51 including the Tura Bypass at an estimated cost of Rs 288 crore with assistance from JICA,” the forum stated.
The forum added that Tura was facing heavy traffic congestion as there is no scope for expansion of roads due to its hilly terrain and this in turn, was affecting the socio-economic growth of Tura and Garo Hills as a whole.
“The traffic snarl in the town will worsen further with population growth, increase in vehicles and business activities. This will lead to dangerous situations in the very near future as law and order enforcing agencies will be prevented from moving promptly during emergencies,” the forum said.
The forum while pointing out that there was an urgent need to make alternative arrangement for Tura town in terms of traffic congestion urged that either the long overdue Bypass project is started or a new one is planned immediately. Besides, the forum also sought the construction of Bypass roads connecting Tura to places like Mankachar, Phulbari and Ampati.
