Ministry of Highways fails to clarify stand on transfer of NH 10 to NHIDCL from Bengal PWD

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 9 Aug 2024, Darjeeling: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India does not have any immediate plans to hand over the stretch of the National Highway 10, that falls in West Bengal to NHIDCL. 

An answer by Minister Nitin Gadkari to a set of questions raised by Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, MP, Rajya Sabha from Sikkim is being read as an indicator to this. Earlier, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista had claimed that he had met Gadkari with the transfer plea and that the stretch would soon be transferred. 

Lepcha had raised four questions (a, b,c and d) on transfer of management of National Highway. The questions included whether there is a consistent demand from the Government of Sikkim to transfer the stretch between Sevoke and Rangpo (NH10) from PWD, West Bengal to National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), which is currently maintaining the Rangpo to Gangtok stretch, for efficient management of the highway. 

The other parts included whether the government would transfer the stretch to NHIDCL for better maintenance and management. “If so, by when this transfer will be executed and if not, the reason therefore?” stated the questions. 

In his reply, dated 07/08/2024, Gadkari, clubbing together all the four questions, remarked: “At present, Sevoke to Rangpo Section of NH10 in the state of West Bengal is entrusted to the state government of Bengal for development and maintenance.” 

The reply stated that the Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways and that NH sections are entrusted to Agencies, e.g. State/ UT Governments/ NHAI/ NHIDCL/ BRO for development and maintenance . 

Entrusted sections of NHs are interchanged among agencies depending upon the capacities and expertise of the Agencies. Though this answer was for all the four parts (a to d,) it did not specify whether the stretch would be transferred or not., nor specified any reasons. 

On July 1, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista in a Press release had stated that he had met Gadkari with the request to hand over the stretch under West Bengal PWD to NHIDCL. 

“Nitin Gadkari ji promptly directed his ministry officials to expedite the process of transferring NH10 from Bengal PWD to NHIDCL,” claimed the release. 

Meanwhile, National Highway 10 closed down on Thursday with fresh landslides reported at 21 Mile Bhuichaley area near Brikdanra in the Kalimpong district. Before the fresh slide the road was open to light vehicles, emergency service vehicles and government vehicles. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/committed-to-comprehensive-development-of-tribals-mamata-575112?infinitescroll=1