Announcement comes after Syngkon meets Gadkari
From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, July 3: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday called the newly-elected Shillong MP, Ricky AJ Syngkon for a meeting and informed him that his ministry has sanctioned Rs 290 crore for urgent repair and upkeep of National Highway 6 where many patches have been heavily damaged since a long time.
After meeting the Union minister in his office, the Secretary and top officials of the National Highways Authority of India explained to Syngkon that about Rs 200 crore will be spent on repair and upkeep of the worst-affected Jowai-Ratacherra section of the highway. Another Rs 90 crore will be spent on repairing the landslide affected patches (especially at Sonapur) and the work will start immediately after the end of the monsoon in the region, the Shillong MP was told.
Syngkon had dashed off a letter to Gadkari on Monday drawing his urgent attention to the pitiable condition of NH-6 which passes through as many as four states including Meghalaya. Considered to be the lifeline of the Northeastern region, it connects cities like Jorabat, Shillong, Jowai, Silchar, Aizawl and Agartala before terminating at the India-Myanmar border, he said.
Only recently, the Meghalaya High Court had raised serious concerns regarding the deteriorating condition of NH-6 in East Jaintia Hills District. While reviewing the photographic evidence submitted by the petitioner in a PIL, the Court expressed alarm and noted that the bridge depicted (in one of the photos) seemed impassable and unsuitable for vehicular movement.
In his letter, Syngkon said that at times people get stranded for days because of the pathetic condition of the national highway in this section. The ordeal is continuing for some years causing hardship to people and causing severe economic losses and even loss of human lives due to accidents.
The Shillong MP had sought Gadkari’s personal intervention for immediate measures to alleviate the pain of the people of the region, he added.
He had also written to the minister to draw up long-term plans for thorough repair of NH-6 which witnesses patch-up works after any damage, which are recurring in nature.