Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Apr 7: The Arunachal Pradesh Young Generation Socio Cultural and Educational Society (APYGSC&ES) has alleged Chief Minister Pema Khandu of misleading the public by uploading a video of the completion of the construction of the National Highway-415’s Package-A (Chandranagar to Papu Nallah road).
Addressing the reporters at the Press Club here on Wednesday, APYGSC&ES chairman Raj Pao said that “the video released in the name of ‘Challenge Accepted’ by Khandu earlier is an attempt to mislead the public and has almost succeeded to do so to some extent.”
Claiming that the NH-415 is yet to be finished as “most important components of the road are missing and not constructed according to DPR,” Pao said that the work is not properly executed as per the guidelines of a national highway.
“According to the highway construction guidelines, there should be proper footpaths, bus shelter, crash barrier, road humps, curbs, and border control etc, which are still missing,” he said, adding that “seven culverts are also among other components which are still not reconstructed.”
The organization has also demanded the state government constitute an expert committee to inquire on the said project, including on the amount of Rs 99.70 crore compensation, besides setting up a committee to inquire and check the geometric, pavement and structural design of the project.
We also demand that the state government initiate strong action against the government land encroachers and accordingly dismantle the structure constructed alongside the highway.
He also informed that on 12 February, the organization had submitted a document and video to the Prime Minister of India on the highway issue and the Itanagar smart city project issue.
“Responding to our grievances, the PMO has asked the concerned department for an ‘action taken report but unfortunately, the department has so far not responded to the letter till today,” he said.
Alleging corruption; misleading the public through the video; non-furnishing of action taken report by the department and sidelining the national highway guidelines, the organization has called for a protest rally on 20 April next at Itanagar.
