Akhilesh urges Modi to loose purse string for highways

Total length of NHs in UP is 7,600 km, of which 4,000 km are maintained by NHAI

Even before Narendra Modi settles down in the North Block, the Uttar Pradesh government would be seeking central funds for the National Highways (NH) traversing the state.

The Akhilesh Yadav government wants the Centre to loose its purse string for the maintenance and repair of 3,600 km of NH in the state.

The total length of NH in UP is 7,600 km, of which 4,000 km are maintained by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

The state Public Works Department (PWD) is responsible for the maintenance/repairs for the remaining 3,600 km NH on behalf of the union surface transport and highways ministry.

During 2013-14, the state had received Rs 15 crore for the maintenance of NH, while for current fiscal, only Rs 4.56 crore had been received, much less than UP needs.

In a recent high level meeting, the CM had directed officials to make fresh request for the release of adequate central funds.

Although the ruling Samajwadi Party government was giving outside support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre, UP had failed to get requisite funds.

In fact, Yadav had written to the union surface transport and highways ministry in September 2013 and March 2014 over the poor condition of NH.

UP PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav had also written letters and even personally met the concerned minister in October 2013.

However, no headway was made in this direction and the condition of roads remained as pitiable, especially Varanasi-Ghazipur-Gorakhpur (NH 29), Rae Bareli-Allahabad (NH 24B), Tanda-Lalganj-Fatehpur-Banda (NH 232), Aligarh-Kanpur (NH 91) and Rampur-Rudrapur (NH 87).

The state government alleged that NH coming under NHAI was also in bad shape and causing inconvenience to commuters.