Ron Duarah
DIBRUGARH, Sep 6 – The whopping figure of Rs 25,000 crore is an unofficial estimate, but Central investment to the tune of this figure is in the pipeline, given the highway development plan in Assam's Brahmaputra Valley and Arunachal Pradesh, and scheduled for completion by the year 2013. Speaking to this reporter here today, Kamlesh Kumar said he is happy that the Assam and Arunachal State Governments and elected public representatives in both the places are offering their full cooperation in the highway development programmes. Kumar is a chief engineer in the Union Ministry for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H), and is in charge of National highways in the North Eastern States in the Ministry.
He said the ministry has plans to develop Dibrugarh and Silchar as two National Highway hubs in the region. Accordingly, the Dibrugarh hub would be connected by four lane and 10 metre wide roads to connect the National Highway 52 (Baihata Chariali to Pasighat), Jorhat/Guwahati, Tirap district in Arunachal, the city proper and a four lane national highway from here to Tinsukia and beyond. "We are making Dibrugarh a National Highway hub with the Bogibeel bridge as the focal point," he said. The plan includes the Trans Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Tezu, via Dibrugarh and using sections of National Highway 52.
Itanagar and Gohpur will have a four lane connectivity, as per the scheme. He did not say if there is a time frame for the proposed Tezpur - Baihata Chariali four laning programme.
National Highway bye passes are being planned at three places: Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Makum, with road over bridges at Bokul here, at Rupai near Doomdooma, and at Makum. He said that as desired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a road bridge across the Brahmaputra will be built at Saikhowa ghat, to connect Chapakhowa (Sadiya) and onwards to Roing and Anini in Arunachal Pradesh.
Commenting on the Nagaon – Dibrugarh four laning of National Highway 37, Kumar said work is on at the project, and tenders are being floated for the Jorhat – Dibrugarh section. Refusing to comment on the Kaziranga imbroglio for the Jorhat – Jakhalabandha section, he said a solution will be worked out. He added that the Dibrugarh – Tinsukia section will also be four laned, but as two parallel roads of two lanes each. It is gathered that this solution has been worked out considering the land acquisition complexities along the existing national highway alignment on this busy section. The present road will remain, and another two lane highway, may be 10 metres wide will be constructed anew on the section. The two roads will be then used for up and down traffic between Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
When asked on the possibility of concrete paveways for the new highways in the North East, given the region's wet climate, Kumar said this was thought about, but has not been worked on. He added that bitumen roads are easier to maintain. "We shall be using better quality bitumen with polymer additives and a thicker, four inch top layer to make the roads last longer even in wet conditions," he revealed.
He clarified that the BOT (build – operate – transfer) criteria has been modified for the North Eastern states, and that all the highway development programmes in the region would be fully Centrally funded, and no toll would be collected from vehicles for using the smooth roads. Under the arrangement, a fifteen year maintenance contract would also be awarded. These highway development programmes come under the package called Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the Northeast, SARDP-NE, in short. Asked whether his department would be able to meet the 2013 deadline, he said he is optimistic, and more because the necessary contractors, equipments, bureaucratic and political will are all in place. "I will not say that we will have American or German standard expressways in the North East, we do not have that kind of money and resources, but the highway network by the year 2013, with Dibrugarh as a hub will be something to be proud of," he assured. source: assam tribune
He said the ministry has plans to develop Dibrugarh and Silchar as two National Highway hubs in the region. Accordingly, the Dibrugarh hub would be connected by four lane and 10 metre wide roads to connect the National Highway 52 (Baihata Chariali to Pasighat), Jorhat/Guwahati, Tirap district in Arunachal, the city proper and a four lane national highway from here to Tinsukia and beyond. "We are making Dibrugarh a National Highway hub with the Bogibeel bridge as the focal point," he said. The plan includes the Trans Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Tezu, via Dibrugarh and using sections of National Highway 52.
Itanagar and Gohpur will have a four lane connectivity, as per the scheme. He did not say if there is a time frame for the proposed Tezpur - Baihata Chariali four laning programme.
National Highway bye passes are being planned at three places: Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Makum, with road over bridges at Bokul here, at Rupai near Doomdooma, and at Makum. He said that as desired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a road bridge across the Brahmaputra will be built at Saikhowa ghat, to connect Chapakhowa (Sadiya) and onwards to Roing and Anini in Arunachal Pradesh.
Commenting on the Nagaon – Dibrugarh four laning of National Highway 37, Kumar said work is on at the project, and tenders are being floated for the Jorhat – Dibrugarh section. Refusing to comment on the Kaziranga imbroglio for the Jorhat – Jakhalabandha section, he said a solution will be worked out. He added that the Dibrugarh – Tinsukia section will also be four laned, but as two parallel roads of two lanes each. It is gathered that this solution has been worked out considering the land acquisition complexities along the existing national highway alignment on this busy section. The present road will remain, and another two lane highway, may be 10 metres wide will be constructed anew on the section. The two roads will be then used for up and down traffic between Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
When asked on the possibility of concrete paveways for the new highways in the North East, given the region's wet climate, Kumar said this was thought about, but has not been worked on. He added that bitumen roads are easier to maintain. "We shall be using better quality bitumen with polymer additives and a thicker, four inch top layer to make the roads last longer even in wet conditions," he revealed.
He clarified that the BOT (build – operate – transfer) criteria has been modified for the North Eastern states, and that all the highway development programmes in the region would be fully Centrally funded, and no toll would be collected from vehicles for using the smooth roads. Under the arrangement, a fifteen year maintenance contract would also be awarded. These highway development programmes come under the package called Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the Northeast, SARDP-NE, in short. Asked whether his department would be able to meet the 2013 deadline, he said he is optimistic, and more because the necessary contractors, equipments, bureaucratic and political will are all in place. "I will not say that we will have American or German standard expressways in the North East, we do not have that kind of money and resources, but the highway network by the year 2013, with Dibrugarh as a hub will be something to be proud of," he assured. source: assam tribune
2 comments:
A good news at last for the general public of Silchar as well as those who were born at Silchar, as I was.
It will definately help road networks of the north east if implemented properly.
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