'National Highway subsidence in WB turns critical'

Kolkata, Jan 19: As cracks on National Highway number two near Asansol widened during the past 24 hours following last Tuesday's subsidence, the situation turned "very critical" today even as the Border Road Organisation(BRO)was working round the clock to construct an alternative road.

Speaking to newsmen after holding an emergency meeting with BRO Chief General Manager R P Indoria at the state Secretariat here, West Bengal Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy said it appeared from the report that the situation had turned very critical today. The cracks on the National Highway had widened further making it more difficult for the army to construct even a bailey bridge as an alternative method till a bypass was built on priority basis, Mr Roy said.

''However, we are closely monitoring the sitatution with the army and are ready to take necessary steps if the situation deteriorates,'' Mr Roy informed.

Incidentally,Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee after reviewing the situation yesterday, had sought army assistance for a new alignment to enable Durgapur and Dhanbad bound vehicles to ply smoothly bypassing the affected area in Asansol.

With cracks appearing at several places on NH 2 the army authorities at Panagarh and the Border Roads Organisations were approached for immediate assistance.

Fresh cracks developed on the highway yesterday and fissures appeared at a few metres from train tracks near Asansol after the capped mouth of an old mine exploded due to presure of gas tapped inside.

UNI