By A O News Service
NAHARLAGUN, Oct 16: After Itanagar permanent bench of Gauhati High Court took serious exception to prevailing dilapidated condition of National Highway-415, the lifeline of Itanagar Capital Complex, Union Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has woken up from its deep slumber
While expressing concern over slow pace of work of Package-B (Papu Nallah to Nijurli) of four-lane highway connecting Itanagar with neighbouring Assam, MoRTH Director General (Road Development) Dharmananda Sarangi on Tuesday assured to take steps by November end for visible change on the ground.
Sarangi in New Delhi on Tuesday gave the assurance during a meeting with Rajya Sabha member Nabam Rebia, who had recently surveyed the Package B (Itanagar to Banderdewa) of the ongoing project and expressed dismay over the slow progress of the work. Besides the NH-415, Rebia also held detailed discussion on status of various ongoing MoRTH projects in this state and had sought appropriate action against the defaulting contractor.
Rebia drew Sarangi’s attention to poor condition of NH-415, saying slow work progress of Package B has made life of the people miserable, he said.
“There is an urgent need to speed up work of Package-B as commuters have been suffering from untold miseries while driving between Papu Nallah and Nirjuli stretch. The repeated pleas of the people to the contractor and PWD (highway) to speed up the work have gone in vain,” he informed.
The 11.3-km Package B (Papu Nallah to Nirjuli), including 3.950-km two-lane flyover from Papu Nallah’s Benjamin Hotel in Kangkarnallah in Naharlagun, is being executed by M/s Woodhill Shivam with M/s TK Consortium Pvt Ltd. as a joint venture.
Rebia also cautioned the MoRTH not to commit such mistake while awarding work for construction of nine packages of the ambitious 1,748-km Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913) or Bomdila-Vijaynagar Highway (BVH) to run about 20-km close to Line of Actual Control (LAC),
HC to hear on NH-415 status on Oct 28
It may be recalled here that Itanagar Permanenet Bench of Gauhati High Court had recently imposed a cost of Rs. 5000 on Arunachal Pradesh Govt authorities for not furnishing a status report on four-laning of Itanagar to Banderdewa section of NH 415 as puvlished in October 2 edition of this daily.
The division bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana andJustice Kardak Ete had further observed: “In the event, the status report as indicated above along with the bar chart showing the timelines and milestones and other documents required by this Court is not produced on the next date, the respondent Nos.1 to 6 shall take note that the Court may pass appropriate orders for personal appearance of the concerned Officials for which appropriate orders would be passed on the next date, in the event of default.”
The HC was hearing PIL/11/2024 (Vijay Jamoh & Anr. Vs . The State of Arunachal Pradesh & 7 others) highlighting the deplorable condition of NH-415 between Banderdewa to Itanagar section.
The Counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that condition of the road from Barapani Bridge to A-Sector area of Naharlagun, which is 3.95-km long, a flyover is envisaged to be built. It was further submitted that only 11 pillars out of 147 numbers of total pillars have been built.
Therefore, it was contended that it is impossible for the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) or the State PWD (NH Division) to complete the proposed construction within the contract period of December, 2024 with the progress so far displayed by the private contractors i.e. respondents No.7 and 8.
The HC vide order dated August 27 had asked the GoAP to place the status report of the project indicating the progress made upto 31.08.24. However, the GoAP advocate could not produce the same.
It was highlighted by the petitioners that the state has not built a footpath alongside the said stretch of road which causes immense public inconvenience in traversing 3.95-km stretch where the over-bridge is planned, which causes immense problem to pedestrians, especially for the ladies.
It was further submitted that after registration of present PIL, some half-hearted topping work has been done in two sides of the road which is still not motorable and therefore, the traffic congestion in that area has become a bane for the citizens.
The HC directed the GoAP authorities to ensure that on the next date the status report of the work is placed before it without fail.
The HC further directed the GoAP authorities to inform it as to the steps, if any been taken for construction of footpath at least to enable the pedestrians to walk on the particular stretch of road and the measure, if any, they would take to enable the pedestrian to walk on two sides of the said stretch of the road even if they don’t have a plan to make construction of the foot path.
“The respondents No.1 to 8 shall all ensure that they independently provide to the HC a bar chart indicating various timelines and milestones by which the progress of the work required to be achieved as per the contract agreement is shown. They would also provide before the HC the relevant part of the contract agreement disclosing the date by which the work is required to be completed. They would also provide to the HC the numbers of men, equipments and machineries which are required to be available for completion of work,” the HC said.
The HC further asked the contractors to inform it of the reasons why appropriate men, machineries and equipments have not been put to use from the commencement of contract till date. It also directed the GoAP authorities not to enter into any agreement with the contractors for price escalation without the leave of the HC.
“The pendency of this PIL shall not be constituted as a bar for the appropriate authorities to take a decision as to whether the contractors are at default in the completion of work and take any such measures as they may be so advised and to ensure that the work is completed within the timeline,” it said.
The matter is listed again for hearing on October 28.
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