Ref.No.103/NHAI/ Date: 4 October 2016
Mr Raghav Chandra IAS
Chairman
National Highways Authority of India
New Delhi
Sir,
Sub: National Highway 34 – Kolkota to Dalkola (West
Bengal) – Pathetic Status
Navratri greetings.
On 29 September 2016, I was on a road trip from Kolkota to Siliguri to
examine the condition of the National Highway 34 linking Kolkota with Dalkola
in the state of West Bengal.
Barring a few stretches of excellent 4 lane carriageway, most of it is
absolutely in pathetic stage. Not only it is 2-lanes but full of massive
pothotes.
Though long haul truck drivers ferrying goods from Guwahati to Kolkota
and vice versa complain of RTO and police challenges on this route, the poor
condition of this vital National Highway is one of the main reasons for these
drivers ability to navigate not more than 300 km in any 24 hour cycle.
En route enquiries with various parties operating on this route
(including dhaba owners, fuel stations, roadside mechanics etc) reveal that non
payment of dues to contractors of NHAI led to their desertion leaving
incomplete work in many stretches.
While the RTO and Police challenges are taken up with concerned state
government authorities, I will be grateful if someone can provide answers to
the following queries:
1)
National Highway 34 covers which two locations?
2)
From Kolkota to Dalkhola (both falling in West
Bengal State) what is the length NH34 covers?
3)
Of the distance mentioned in Question 2, how
much is 2-lane and how much is 4 lane?
4)
Name the parties contracted to execute the
project? Mention km stretch, when the contract was given. What was the deadline
set for each of these stretches & contractors?
5)
What is the status of NH 34 – particularly from
Kolkota to Dalkhola?
6)
If any stretch commissioned, but not completed,
what reasons attributed by contractors? What penal action was initiated against
for non-fulfilment, if any?
7)
What was the contracted amount and how much was
distributed as of today 4 October 2016?
8)
In case of non completion, any legal action and
recovery procedure initiated?
9)
When was the last review meeting on the status
of this particular stretch (Kolkota to Dalkhola) conducted? Who all attended?
10)
Who
presided the meeting mentioned in Question 9?
11)
What was
the outcome of that meeting? Share the Minutes of this particular meeting.
12)
Any
representative from Ministry of Road Transport & Highways physically
present at this meeting? If yes, kindly name the name and designation of the
MoRT&H representative?
13)
Any tentative date/year by which time the
entire Kolkota-Dalkhola stretch of NH34 will be fully 4-lane?
SSir, am Delhi-based. If anyone of NHAI officials would like to meet me in
person to provide answers, I will be more than willing to come over to office.
Awaiting your valuable reply,
Sincerely,
Ramesh Kumar
Editor
Copy to
Mr Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India
Mr Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Govt of India
Mr Abhay Damle, Joint Secretary(Tranpsort), MoRT&H, Govt of India
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