Delay in execution of project irks Tripura Govt

CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA, March 4 – Tripura Government on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the delay in executing the national project to convert the Assam-Agartala National Highway (NH-44) into four-lane.

The face-lift plan of the NH-44, considered life-line of Tripura, had been declared as national project about four years back. But, physical work is yet to be started.

Replying to a notice moved by CPM legislators, Pabitra Kar and Sukumar Barman, PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury today informed the Assembly that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which was entrusted with the 195 km road improvement work, has so far failed to meet the deadline of preparing Detailed Project Report (DPR).

The DPR was supposed to be completed by March 2008. But the NHAI could not meet the deadline leading to extension of time till December, 2008, he informed the House.

According to the target fixed by Ministry of Surface and Road Transport, the work will have to be completed by 2012. If the Centre doesn’t take proper step to expedite the project, the Prime Minister’s promise will not materialize into reality, he said.

Chowdhury said that the State Government had been demanding speeding up preliminary work so that the project could be completed on time but no positive result is forthcoming so far.

The project was included in the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme-North East phase-B. – PTI