Centre wants to entrust NHs to states
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 18 2011: Behind the state government's recent decision to take over the improvement work on the Imphal-Barak section of NH 53, there is in the background a decision taken by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The Union ministry had, in an intimation to the Manipur government, informed that the ministry wants to entrust certain stretches of National Highways in the country to the respective state governments for development to two-lane with paved shoulders on a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT)-Toll format.

As per the intimation, the ministry wants to entrust implementation of the project through a tripartite Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) which would be signed between the National High Authority of India (NHAI), state governments and state PWDs.

The ministry took the decision as they had already implemented such similar national highway projects and NHAI may be translated through a NHAI Consultant-PWD tripartite agreement.

The matter of entrustment was discussed in a meeting convened on May 9 at New Delhi by ADG (I), Ministry of Road Transport & Highways with representatives of the state PWDs for implementation of the project.

In respect of Manipur, the stretches from Imphal to Barak (141.18 km) on NH 53 and from Ukhrul to Jessami on NH 150 which are now under the jurisdiction of BRO (Border Road Organisation) were included among the NHs to be transferred to the state PWD.

However, the most important problem for the state PWD to take over responsibility is that BOT (Toll) mode of road improvement is yet to be introduced in the state.

In the meantime, omitting the decision of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union Joint Secretary (Home-NE in-charge) Shambu Singh had assured the people of Tamenglong district that the Centre will not hand over National Highway 53 to the Manipur government for maintenance, that is, if the ZU was not quoted wrongly.

Shambu Singh had made the assurance during his brief visit to Tamenglong last week which leaves a question mark whether he is going to lobby the Union Road Transport and Highways to deliver his assurance.

Comment