Minister in highway protest

TT, 3 August 2019, Siliguri: Tourism minister and Trinamul leader Gautam Deb said on Thursday that the Centre should take necessary initiatives to expand NH-31 in and around Darjeeling More within August 15. 

The minister, who on Friday held a day-long "dharna" at the More ­ the most important crossing of Siliguri ­ also said that otherwise Trinamul would resume its movement and would also campaign against the central government over its alleged failure to address the problem of traffic congestion and improve the road infrastructure of the city.

"We have highlighted the need to widen the stretch of NH31 that extends from Phansidewa More to Salugara through Darjeeling More on several occasions. But the Centre has remained inactive. That is why we held the sit-in demonstration here, demanding immediate sanction of funds for a six-lane road along the stretch and early execution of the project.

"If the concerned ministry at the Centre fails to take any initiative or does not communicate with the state on the project by August 15, we will organise a day-long hunger strike and will also expand our movement on the issue," Deb said.

Political observers said that the minister's "ultimatum" to the Centre for widening the stretches of NH31 was an attempt to undermine BJP MP Raju Bista's recent speech at Parliament and his meeting with Union surface transport minister Nitin Gadhkari on the project.

"It is interesting to see the minister's sudden activity on the issue of traffic congestion at Darjeeling More and in the city as a whole and his party's move to launch a movement against the central government. These are clear indications that Trinamul is desperate to stop the BJP from reaping any political advantage from the issue," the observer said.

The minister however, is not ready to buy the theory.

According to Deb, some years back, the Centre had instructed conversion of the highway into a four-lane road from the State Guest House (near Champasari) to Salugara. Later, realising the importance of Sikkim and the India-China border, a fresh directive was issued to the state to conduct a survey for a sixlane road.

"The national highway division of the state PWD conducted the survey with the help of a foreign agency. But two years have passed since then and no funds have been allocated for the proposed road so far. This shows that the Centre is not sincere to resolve the problem. That is why we have launched the agitation and want the Centre to take up the project in consultation with the state," said Deb.