Sub-par work as centre vows US-level roads in NE
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 21, 2025 -

NH-37 work to start afresh over sub-par quality allegations :: Pix - Chronicle News

LESS than a week after Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced that the central government will invest Rs 10 lakh crore over the next two years to significantly upgrade the country's highway network along with stating that key priority of the plan is to transform road infrastructure in the northeast region comparable to those in the United States, a work agency of national repute came under intense public scrutiny over alleged non-adherence to standard work quality guidelines, forcing officials of the Public Works Department to order fresh blacktopping of the National Highway-37 stretch from Oriental College to Patsoi Part-1.

In an interview with a news agency, Gadkari had affirmed the government's commitment to drastically improving infrastructure nationwide, with a strong focus on the Northeast and border areas.

"We're preparing to execute projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore, and within two years, roads in the Northeast will match US standards," he said.

Moreover, recognising the region's challenging terrain and strategic importance, Gadkari underscored the urgent need for enhanced connectivity in the Northeast, informed that infrastructure upgrades are Already underway in several other states, and revealed that 784 highway projects, covering a distance of 21,355 km, are in the pipeline for Eastern India.

According to the minister, projects, estimated at Rs 3-73 lakh crore, are being implemented through agencies such as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL).

It is worth mentioning here that in Manipur's context, the NHIDCL has been entrusted to oversee development of almost all the major road projects in the state.

However, in-spite of the NH-37, the expansion and renovation works of which are being handled by the NHIDCL, considered as the second lifeline of Manipur due to frequent instances of harassment of truckers and rampant extortion activities, or whenever occurrences of natural disasters disrupt normal vehicular movement along the Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-2, poor maintenance and inordinate delays in the execution of road widening/repairing works have been the hallmark of the former route.

The Oriental College-Patsoi section of the national highway, in particular, has been hogging the limelight for all the wrong reasons, ranging from controversial land acquisition process, sluggish pace of work of the national project in stretches which have no land issues, and protracted delays in blacktopping to the present public furore over lack of quality control.

For over four years Since the NHIDCL commenced the road expansion work, residents and local organisations operating in Patsoi area had been urging authorities concerned to expedite the road project and occasionally resorting to imposition of highway blockade alleging indifferent attitude by the government authorities in addressing inconveniences faced and callousness of the work agency in expediting the task assigned.

Indeed, the state has been periodically facing protests over non-repairing of dilapidated condition of inter-district and inter-village roads but it is hard to digest that the national highway-37, which connects the state with therest of the country via Silchar in Assam, has taken over four years and is still far from being completed, forcing the local populace to launch agitation.

The public's grievances range from threat posed to daily commuters and the risk of suffering from respiratory diseases on account of the continuous dust pollution.