Union Minister Nitin Gadkari reviews status of NH projects with Assam CM, senior functionaries

New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari reviewed the status of ongoing National Highway projects and upcoming projects in Assam under National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at Vanijya Bhawan here on Tuesday, a press release said.

At a review meeting with Assam Chief Minister Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma and other senior officials of NHIDCL, NHAI, and State PWD in the national capital, Union Minister Gadkari called for the completion of the 28 ongoing projects that are running on schedule and for expediting completion of 11 numbers of delayed projects under NHIDCL in Assam.

Following the plea of CM Sarma, Gadkari instructed the officials to expedite the completion of the balance work of four-laning of a 14-km stretch of Jorhat to Jhanji and from Jhanji to Demow stretching 11 km of NH 37 under SARDP-NE.

Gadkari also asked the officials to put up road signages at proper places to prevent road mishaps on this vital portion of NH 37.

According to the release, the Chief Minister requested Gadkari to depute a Minister of State to inspect the ongoing work of four-laning of NH 37 from Jorhat to Dibrugarh.

The remaining work of the four-laning of Demow to the end of Moran bypass of NH 37, widening of four-lane with paved shoulder of Kawaram Taro Village-Dilai Section of NH 29 under NH(O), NE, including Manja bypass, four-laning of NH 37 from the end of Moran bypass to Bogibeel, development, and upgradation of four-laning from Jamugurihat end to Biswanath Chariali Bypass of NH 52, construction of Indunglo to Jatinga junction and from Jatinga to Harangajao of NH 54 also came up for detailed review.

On the Chief Minister’s plea, Gadkari asked the officials to complete the process for awarding the contract for the 121-km Guwahati Ring Road at an estimated cost of Rs 5,729 crore by November end, to submit DPR for the elevated corridor of over 85 km length over Kaziranga National Park at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore and re-tendering of Majuli bridge over the Brahmaputra.

CM Sarma also urged Union Minister Gadkari to hasten the process for the Gohpur-Numaligarh tunnel construction, Majuli bridge connecting Kamalabari and Nimatighat over the Brahmaputra, four-laning of Baihata Chariali to Tezpur highway stretch and construction of Mangaldoi bypass on NH 15.

The Union Minister also reviewed the status of ongoing four numbers of projects that are on schedule and four projects with one-year delays under State PWD and MoRTH, the release said.

CM Sarma urged the Union Minister to see to it that existing roads are kept in good shape by NHIDCL and NHAI during the construction of NHs to prevent accidents. Gadkari asked the senior officials, including GM, NHIDCL to blacklist contractors who did not adhere to the provisions of keeping the existing roads in good condition by way of imposing default liability.

Dr.Sarma further requested Gadkari to formulate a different work schedule for civil works in Assam in particular and the North East Region as a whole keeping in view the monsoon season from April to October. Taking into account the Chief Minister’s suggestion, Gadkari directed the senior functionaries of the Central road agencies to work on it, the release added.

Later taking to X, CM Sarma wrote, “Today in New Delhi, I had the privilege of attending a review meeting led by Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari ji, focused on the development of 1001 km of highway projects in Assam. Our collective priority remains the timely completion of 57 critical National Highway projects across various implementing agencies.”

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, who also attended the review meeting, urged Union Minister Gadkari to initiate the process in earnest for four-lane road connectivity with the Dhubri river port.

The review meeting was also attended by Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margerita, MP, Dilip Saikia, Chief Secretary, Dr.Ravi Kota, senior officials Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, KK Dwivedi, RP Singh, and Raj Chakrabarty.

It may be mentioned that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is organizing the two-day review meeting of National Highway projects that got underway on Monday with all the States of the North Eastern Region.