BASAR, 13 Jul: Basar-based non-political organization Gumin Rego Kilaju (GRK) has sought the centre’s intervention for early completion of the 2-lane road from Likabali to Bam/Basar.
The organization said that the people of the region have been facing great hardship due to delay in completion of the road, which is in a very bad shape.
It said that the road has become dangerous for commuters due to random formation cutting, seepage of loose silts, falling of rocks and trees along the road. It stated that transportation of sick people, who need urgent medical attention, has become very difficult.
“Many precious lives have been lost due to landslides and boulders falling on the passenger vehicles in last several years. The instances of people carrying the bodies of their loved ones on their shoulders for kilometers due to road block have become common sight,” the GRK said in a representation to union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, on Tuesday.
“The road is the life-line for the people of Lower Siang, Leparada, West Siang, Siang, Upper Subansiri and Shi-Yomi districts. It is the shortest route from Assam towards Chinese border in this part of the state. It is also used by the defence forces to transport men and materials in the forward areas
of the border,” the representation said.
Stating that the inordinate delay in completing the work is utterly frustrating, the organization said that “at present pace, it may take more than a decade to complete the work.”
“As per the agreement, the work of package-I was awarded to the contractor on 20 January, 2016 and it was supposed to be completed by 18 January, 2019. The package-2 work was awarded to the contractor on 11 September, 2015 and the work was supposed to be completed by 9 September, 2018,” the organization said.
It further stated, “There is no issue of compensation and people are giving full support and cooperation to agencies. However, it is appalling to see that the work which was to be finished in two years have not been completed even after seven years.”
“It gives us immense satisfaction and happiness that recently India has made a Guinness World record by constructing 75 km of bituminous concrete road in 105 hours. But, the NHIDCL has not been able to complete the construction of a 90-km-long road during the last seven years,” exclaimed the organization.
The organization further stated that union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju, who is also the MP from the area had repeatedly assured early completion of the said road on many occasions, but his assurances too, did not materialize.
