Himanta counters Gadkari’s comment on Assam highway

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PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday countered Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari's comment on the bad condition of the National Highways in the state.

The bad condition of the National Highways in the state came under sharp criticism in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In a reply to Assam MP Tapan Kumar Gogoi regarding the highway issue, Gadkari blamed state government for the tardy progress of the four-laning project in Assam.

"The state government has already done its duty. But, I don't want to tell that we have succeeded to allot required land for four-laning of NH. In some places, we couldn't provide the required land for this project. In Biswanath Chariali too, we have faced trouble regarding the allotment of land. But, it doesn't mean that we have failed to provide sufficient land for the highway project. I don't know why Gadkari had told this, even the concerned department didn't inform me regarding the issue, earlier"

Responding to Gadkari, state PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said

On Thursday, in a reply to Assam MP Tapan Kumar Gogoi regarding the highway issue, Minister Gadkari said that "The central Government has already started the four-laning project in the state. How could the concerned department complete the projects if the state government (Assam) fails to allot land for NH? It's not the responsibility of central government. The projects will complete only after getting all clearances from the Assam government and land-owners."

The NH issue had been raised by BJP MP Tapan Kumar Gogoi in the ongoing Lok Sabha session on Thursday. Presenting the issue in lower house, Gogoi asked the Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to know steps taken by the Government to improve it. Gogoi sought immediate repair of the two roads (NH-15 and NH-37).

The roads were upgraded by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) but "chaotic conditions" now prevailed there as the road is full of huge potholes before the monsoon.

NH-15 that starts from Bihata Chariali is the only road communication in the North Bank in Assam, besides being the only means of communication to a major part of Arunachal Pradesh. Presently, the worst affected portion from Bihata Chariali to Gohpur, approximately 240 km, is now horrible to travel because of very big and deep potholes everywhere.

NH-37 starts from Guwahati and connects Tinsukia covering nine districts with a distance of over 400 km. This is the only route in the South Bank. Now in many places, the surface of the road has been worn out. The MP said that both the national highways are accident prone.

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