News Detail

• Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has planned to set up a state highway authority along the lines of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to improve roads in the state.The CM admitted that the roads that are not under the control of NHAI are in terrible shape and that she wants to improve connectivity in rural Bengal. So she discussed the need for setting up this agency with the DMs, SPs and some ministers at a meeting at Town Hall on Friday.She alleged that the previous Left Front government did not even pay the dues to the contractors which the present government now has to cough up. "As the previous government did not spend on roads, they are in terrible shape," the CM said.
• The state highway authority will construct roads on a public-private-partnership basis. Several states already have their own road development corporations. The PWD maintains the state highways in Bengal but often due to funds crunch, road repair is affected. Once there is a separate agency for road development and maintenance, there will be funds for it and thus, road repairs can be done in a better way, said an official.Bihar and Tamil Nadu has already road development corporations for setting up infrastructure in the states. Already the PWD secretary Ajit Ranjan Bardhan has slready been to Patna to learn about the functioning of the Bihar agency.
• The highway authority will also be responsible for lighting up roads and improve infrastructure. Thus it will be help to improve infrastructure in rural Bengal and thus road links will improve and it will help in setting up industries in remote areas by developing connectivity.It will work on approach roads, build sheds and temporary dwellings in case of calamity.The agency will also organise funds for similar projects and it will also liaise with banks, mutual funds, individuals for financial resources. This agency is also expected to commercially develop land along with building roads and bridges.

Source