Activists’ highway plea to police

TT, June 10: A Jalpaiguri-based social organisation today filed a police complaint against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for not repairing the NH31D stretch between Siliguri and Dhupguri.

The NHAI, which said it does not have funds for repairing the highway, is also averse to taking up the work because permission has been given for four-laning of the highway.

“Once permission has been given for widening of the two-lane road, we cannot approach the Union ministry of transport and highways for funds for repair. We couldn’t take up the four-laning as the state is yet to acquire (a part of the) land. When the road is widened, the entire stretch would be relaid,” an NHAI official said.

However, Sanjib Chatterjee, convenor of the Samaj O Nadi Bachao Committee, said: “It is disappointing to see that the NHAI has not taken up repairs and is only keen to make it a four-lane highway. Traffic congestion and accidents are reported regularly. For all these, the NHAI is solely responsible. That is why we have filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station in Jalpaiguri today. We want the NHAI to take up repairs on war footing.”

Last year, the committee had “begged” on the highway to collect funds, which they said they would give the NHAI as a mark of protest against not repairing the road. It had also staged the funeral of the road and conducted the “last rites”.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had cancelled a programme in Jalpaiguri on December 26 apparently because she wanted to avoid the road.

The highway was handed over to the NHAI in 2009 for making it a four-lane road as a part of the east-west corridor. But till date, no work has commenced. The main reason, as claimed by the NHAI, is the inability of the district authorities of Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Cooch Behar to give land.

The total length of NH31D is around 155km and it starts from Ghoshpukur near Siliguri and ends at Salsalabari along the Assam border. The 75km-stretch from Siliguri to Dhupguri has been dilapidated for several months.

The NHAI source said the Centre had sanctioned around Rs 900 crore last month for land acquisition and rehabilitation. “Around 500 hectares are to be taken over to widen the road. But we were handed over only 250 hectares,” he said.

“Last year, some minor repairs were carried out. But in six months, the condition of the road became pitiable. The road is in such a pathetic state that it is taking over two hours to reach Siliguri from Jalpaiguri, 45km away (picture on Page 8),” said Manirul Islam, a Jalpaiguri resident.

It normally takes 45 minutes to cover the distance.

D.K. Ansari, a project manager of the NHAI in Siliguri, said: “We have information that the Union ministry has decided to hand over the responsibility of repairing the road to the PWD (NH division) of Bengal.” Officials of the state PWD (NH division), however, denied having such information.

Sources said out of the entire corridor that connects Porbunder in Gujarat with Silchar, the Ghoshpukur-Salsalabari stretch is the only part where work has not commenced.

Abhijit Das, the inspector-in-charge of Kotwali police station, said: “We have received the complaint. It would be forwarded to senior officers for their recommendations.”