Appropriate technology must for hillside maintenance of roads: Mandaviya

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansuk Lal Mandaviya on Wednesday said appropriate technology should be used for the hillside maintenance of roads.

Following a visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where the state-run National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) has been given the mandate to construct 2,750 km of road, Mandaviya said: "A total of 653 km of road has been completed while construction of 1,917 km of road is under progress."

"Out of this total length, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will build 710 km, state Public Works Department (PWD) will construct 420 km, NHIDCL 722 km and Border Roads Organization 718 km," the Minister told reporters here.

According to the ministry, the ongoing projects and their costs are 250 km Nechipu-Hoj (Rs 1,985 crore); 20 km Dibang-Alubari river bridge system (Rs 860 crore); 75 km Pasighat-Pangin (Rs 500 crore) and 12 km Itanagar-Naharlagun four-laning (Rs 250 crore).

"Building of road infrastructure in the state would herald a new era of socio-economic development," said the Minister.

Committing to build high-class road infrastructure in the Northeastern states of the country, the Minister inspected the Pappu-Yupia-Hoj-Potin section of NH-13A and Potin-Ziro section of NH-13.

"The 50 km-long Pappu-Yupia-Hoj-Potin section of NH-13A is damaged at about 30-35 spots as a result of heavy rain and consequent landslides since April. Two-laning of the road through the state PWD was completed in March this year, and the Ministry is now required to take it over for maintenance purposes," said the Minister.

Mandaviya inspected several damaged locations and expressed serious concern at the condition of the highway.

He directed officials to take urgent remedial measures at these sites and stressed that guidance should be sought from expert agencies for making use of appropriate technology for hillside maintenance and slope stability as a long term measure.

Regarding the 50 km-long Potin-Ziro section of NH-13, Mandaviya said work on repair of the bad patches of road must be done on a priority basis in a time-bound manner.

Mandaviya directed officials to submit the repair estimates to the Ministry within a week.

The Minister also discussed land acquisition issues regarding the stretch from Poti to Bopi through Ziro with concerned officials.

--IANS

rup/vgu/dg