We are given to understand that the state government is not at all happy with the progress of the four-laning work in the capital, and that Chief Minister Pema Khandu has taken the matter seriously. The CM has directed the joint secretary of his office to monitor the progress of the work and to “seriously take up the matter with the PWD’s highway division’s officials as well as the representatives of TK Engineering for fast-tracking the ongoing works.”
The CM wants that the Itanagar-Naharlagun road must be completed within this winter season to lessen the hardship faced by the commuters, and said the government is ready to extend all support to the executing agency for completion of the capital’s road construction at the earliest.
According to Joint Secretary to CM, Kangki Darrang, who inspected the capital’s main road on Friday with officials of the highway division and the project executing company, the “state government is seriously concerned about the slow progress of work, which is causing undue hardship to the citizens who travel on the road on a daily basis. The chief minister has resolved to personally monitor the everyday progress of the project and asserted that lackadaisical approach of either the department or the contractor towards easing the hardships of the citizens will not be tolerated any further.”
There is a ray of hope for completion of the ongoing capital four-lane project within this winter since the officials of the construction company have decided to tighten their belts and engage all resources for early completion of the capital highway with cooperation of the state government.
However, parking of vehicles on the roadsides everywhere on the capital’s road is a cause of concern. With the increasing number of vehicles and lack of parking places in the capital complex, the traffic problem is unlikely to be solved even after the completion of the ongoing four-lane capital highway construction work. The government must give it a serious thought and chalk out a plan for establishing parking places for vehicles plying on the capital’s roads.