Standard Post with Image

Centre's Apathy Impedes NH Work in Jharkhand

  • Despite Chief Minister Arjun Munda's repeated requests to the Union Government for release of funds for repair and widening of the National Highways passing through Jharkhand, the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways has displayed a lethargic attitude in disbursing funds for the purpose.Roads reflect the health of the State, and most of the National Highways in the State are in a pathetic condition, thanks to the Centre apathetic attitude.

  • National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) - the associated office with the Union Ministry for the development of highways in the State has ordered construction and development of four sections of NH in the State. General Manager for Jharkhand, NHAI, A Srivastava said: "At present we are upgrading the highways to four-lane from Barhi-Hazaribagh (NH-2), Hazaribagh-Ranchi (NH-33), Ranchi-Jamshedpur (NH-33) and Jamshedpur-Kharagpur (NH-32) on Build-Operate-Transfer basis. If we are given orders for some other projects we will definitely take up."Jharkhand has a total length of 1,805 km of National Highways passing through it, while that State had sent a proposal for widening and repair of NH-33, 75, 32 and 23.

  • The officials of the Union Ministry of Road, Transportation and Highways have been reluctant to speak on the issue. Richa Nigam, Superintending Engineer for National Highways of Bihar and Jharkhand from New Delhi told The Pioneer over phone: "We cannot offer any information to the media and the funds have not been released as yet."Similar complaint regarding Centre's apathy was voiced by the Road Construction Department secretary NN Sinha. "We have sent a proposal to the Union ministry for the sake of release of funds and allocation of funds for repairing and restructuring work of several highways in the State," Sinha said.

  • Earlier, CM Munda had tried to draw Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's attention towards the widening and repair of national highways in the State, demanding Rs. 1,600 crore to develop road network in the Naxal-affected districts of Jharkhand.The basic expenditure under the 'planned' and 'non-planned' expenditure of the Union ministry for development of highways and minor repair works for the road-networks in the States for the year 2011-12 show a zero, giving an impression of zero-release of funds to States for such purpose.The RCD secretary also added that NHAI is currently upgrading the NH-2 to four-lane under the given Tender orders. "Few highways are still undergoing repair work due to less cost estimation. Re-tendering of such highways has been done and the work is going on but the funds crisis for the State is still a question mark. Some allocated funds have been sent but a major portion of the funds are yet to be released," said the RCD secretary.

Source