Nitin Gadkari pressed for completion of East–West Corridor

Silchar, September 4, 2014: Barak Valley comprising three southernmost districts of Assam serves as the gateway to Tripura, Mizoram and a part of Manipur. The gateway itself, however, lacks easy accessibility in view of its being landlocked on the one hand and its fast deteriorating rail–road connectivity with the rest of the country on the other, while the country improved its internal connectivity under the Bharat Nirman Mission, has serious strategic implication considering the situation of the region near the international border.

It is in view of this strategic implication that the dream project of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was designed to connect Silchar, the century old town of the valley. But, unfortunately, despite the elapse of more than a decade, the shaping of the project is getting delayed for reasons that do not seem to be tenable. The acceleration of the execution of the project and its earliest completion now seem to be the most urgent need of the hour, in view of the impending mega–block works from October 1 on Silchar–Lumding BG. The mega–block work, once started, would virtually cut off the lifeline of the valley.

In a memorandum sent to Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highway, through the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, Nitish Bhattacharjee, president, and Gautam Prasad Dutta, general secretary, Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan, have stressed to ensure the eradication of hurdles that now stand on the way of execution of the project and at the same time take all possible measures to make the NH 6 truly operational.

NH 54 another on record route connecting the valley should also be given attention to make it really useful for traffic. It also needs to be maintained that NH 54 and the East–West Corridor deserve special attention of such competent persons who have expertise in solving geo–technical problems in as much as both the road are encountering problems because of the extraordinary soil condition of NC Hills areas.

Besides, the attention of Nitin Gadkari was also drawn to the contemplated alternative road through NC Hills to examine and explore the prospects of the road to improve the connectivity of the southern region of the North East.

Source: The Sentinel