[ Taba Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, Dec 8: The capital complex administration has reportedly failed to make provision for the right of way (RoW) along several stretches of the ongoing four-lane road (NH 415) project from Chandranagar to Papu Nallah, putting a question mark over the status of the project.
As per the decision taken by the state cabinet, the RoW is supposed to be 30 metres within the township (Chandranagar to Raj Bhavan road point) and 40 metres outside the township (Raj Bhavan point to Papu Nallah). However, during an inspection of the ongoing work by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and top officials of the state government on Saturday, it became evident that the administration failed to provide the RoW.
“The state government and the MoRTH have paid huge compensation to acquire the land for the four-lane road. Especially in the township area, the 30-metre RoW has not been maintained. Because of this, now we are facing trouble in shifting utilities like electric poles, water pipelines and mobile cables,” said an official.
The situation is so bad that the four-lane road may end up without pedestrian footpaths.
The officials discussed the hindrances that are creating obstacles in the progress of the work. The officials of TK Engineering, the contractor for the project, also shared issues of concern.
During the visit, departments like power, PHE, BSNL, etc, were given deadlines to shift their assets from the RoW. The CS also directed the capital complex administration to take initiative to resolve the pending issues at the earliest.
Speaking to this daily, Chief Estate Officer Talo Potom informed that all the issues which are creating bottlenecks in the progress of the work were taken up during the CS’ visit.
“A deadline has been set to resolve the hindrances. The chief secretary has passed strict direction to all to ensure that the deadline is not missed. Therefore there is no scope for any more excuses,” said Potom.
He informed that there will be a “final meeting” at his office on Monday, which will be attended by all the stakeholders, to work out solutions to the hindrances.
Meanwhile, the chief secretary through an order dated 6 December entrusted Potom with the task of looking into the law and order problems arising out of the four-lane construction work.
The order was issued after it had been brought to the notice of the CS that miscreants have been causing disturbances to the construction work on several stretches of the Itanagar-Naharlagun NH 415 “day and night.”
The CS has also directed the LSO IGP to place three companies of paramilitary personnel at the disposal of the chief estate officer with immediate effect.
