New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday reviewed the status of ongoing and upcoming national highway projects in Assam and sought their early completion.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, several Assam MPs and senior central and state government officials attended the meeting here.
Gadkari called for the completion of the 28 ongoing projects that are running on schedule and for expediting the completion of 11 delayed projects under the NHIDCL in Assam, according to an official statement.
Following a plea from the chief minister, Gadkari instructed the officials to expedite the completion of the work of four-laning of the 14-km stretch of Jorhat to Jhanji and the 11-km Jhanji to Demow stretch of NH 37 under SARDP-NE.
The transport minister also asked the officials to put up signages at proper places to prevent road mishaps on this vital portion of NH 37.
The chief minister requested Gadkari to depute a minister of state to inspect the ongoing work of four-laning of NH 37 from Jorhat to Dibrugarh.
The remaining work of the four-laning of Demow to the end of the Moran bypass of NH 37, widening of four-lane with paved shoulder of Kawaram Taro Village-Dilai Section of NH 29 under NH(O), NE, including Manja bypass, four-laning of NH 37 from the end of Moran bypass to Bogibeel, development and upgradation of four-laning from Jamugurihat end to Biswanath Chariali Bypass of NH 52, construction of Indunglo to Jatinga junction and from Jatinga to Harangajao of NH 54 also came up for detailed review, according to the statement.
On Sarma’s plea, Gadkari asked the officials to complete the process for awarding the contract for the 121-km Guwahati Ring Road at an estimated cost of Rs 5,729 crore by November-end, submit DPR for the elevated corridor of over 85 km length over Kaziranga National Park at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore and re-tendering of Majuli bridge over the Brahmaputra.
Sarma also urged Gadkari to hasten the process for the Gohpur-Numaligarh tunnel construction, Majuli bridge connecting Kamalabari and Nimatighat over the Brahmaputra, four-laning of Baihata Chariali to Tezpur highway stretch and construction of Mangaldoi bypass on NH 15, according to the statement.