Get on with corridor, NHAI tells all firms

Work in progress at the East West Corridor. A file picture

Guwahati, Feb 13 : Under pressure to meet the 2010 deadline, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has asked all firms engaged in the construction of a 135km-stretch of the East West Corridor passing through the volatile North Cachar Hills to resume work or face termination of contracts.

The NHAI told the firms to pull up their socks at meetings held in Guwahati early this month and also at its Delhi headquarters last week.

Work has been suspended on five of the six stretches in the North Cachar Hills. The overall progress in these stretches has been abysmally slow, ranging between 4 and 20 per cent, against the 30 per cent in the state.

“Construction of the railway gauge conversion has also resumed. Security reasons cannot be an excuse all the time. From the PMO to the home ministry to the surface ministry, everybody is concerned about the matter,” a source in Dispur said. 

The DHD (J) rebels have been disrupting work on the corridor and Lumding-Badarpur gauge conversion projects — attacking employees of the firms from time to time. 

A source in the NHAI said the firms have been also asked to enlist the support of the local people by creating awareness about the benefits of the project.

“Security is no doubt a concern but there are ways to move ahead. Enlisting the support of the local people could go a long way in making things move. Such projects cannot be completed without the help of residents, contractors and other departments. The firms knew what they were getting into when they entered into a contract with us. It is not that North Cachar Hills became disturbed overnight,” the source said. 

Another hurdle the NHAI has been facing is shifting of electric poles. “We will request the ASEB to play a more active role in shifting the poles,” a source said.