Tripura: Centre to complete Agartala-Aizawl highway

Agartala, June 27: Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Tripura State Public Work Department (PWD) have decided to conduct a survey for making an alternative road connecting Mizoram's capital Aizawl and Agartala.

Officials of both the organisations would also review the proposed project for converting the double-lane National Highway 44 to four lanes from Asom-Tripura border of southern point of Tripura-Bangladesh.

Talking to media here state's PWD minister Badal Choudhury today said even after a year of announcement by the prime minister nothing has yet been progressed in the project.

"Despite constant persuasions from the Tripura government, the union surface transport ministry is reluctant over the issue, which has halted the entire project and the state is facing trouble in the monsoon", Mr Choudhury said.

He stated that considering ministry's proposal, the state government had agreed to upgradation of the existing double-lane road with the provision of four-lane, which would be extended later but the modalities of the project were not finalised.

The NH 44 connects Tripura with rest of the country via Asom criss-crossing the hilly ranges of Meghalaya and Tripura. As a result during monsoons surface transport gets disruption due to heavy landslides. The Tripura government has been demanding an alternative highway for the state besides, expansion of width of the road.

Meanwhile, Mr Choudhury expressed displeasure over the progress of construction work of Agartala-Aizawl highway (NH 44 extension No 1) via Manu, which was started in 2000.

"The construction work of only 20 kilometres of 115-kilometre highway was done in last seven years and we urged the ministry to complete the work at the earliest", he said adding that BRO and PWD would hold meeting after physical inspection on July 12 and 13.

UNI