By Anup Biswas

 

Haflong  : The N C Hills Indigenous Students Forum expressed serious concern over the substandard works on the Jatinga – Harangajao portion National Highway 54E and warned to stop the ongoing works immediately.

David Keivom, President NCHISF along with several members took the stock of the works in between Jatinga to Retzuol and found that very low quality works are being done in case of both blacktopping and side drain construction.

Keivom talking to media said that the NCHISF has been demanding for a good road at least between Mahur to Harangajao since this portion NH 54 E is not being completed resulting to decades long  untold sufferings to the people.

He said after repeated approaches the NHAI has sanctioned an amount of approx 54 crore for the maintenance of this portion for two years and engaged one Silchar based Ratna Construction company but the Ratna company again sub let the works to other local company which is being opposed by the NCHISF till beginning. More over the Regional Officer, NHAI has assured them to constitute a committee comprising members of NCHISF for monitoring the quality of works but till date no such committee has been formed which they feel as a conspiracy to allow this type of low quality works for mutual understanding. He also said there has been every possibility of a nexus between NHAI officials and the construction company otherwise how can the Ratna Company sub let to works to other company despite repeated complaints and NHAI officials remained silent.

Mention may be made here that the portion from Nriambunglo to Harangajao of National Highway 54 E popularly known as the East – West corridor has been in a deplorable condition for at least fifteen to twenty years due to many reasons best known to the NHAI. People of  Dima Hasao  have to travel pillar to post for repair or maintenance of that portion but remained unheard. Sufferings of the people were untold and remained unsolved.

After People’s and also NGOs’ repeated approaches,  the NHAI awaking from slumber sanctioned that amount for the maintenance and blacktopping of the said portion NH 54E but the company engaged for the works ignoring the people’s sufferings indulged in substandard works which would be the total wastage of fund and time, they opined.