Four-laning of NH-143 hangs fire ---Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways worried over delay

Rourkela: The four-laning of Biramitrapur-Barcote National Highway-143 is hanging fire due to delay in land acquisition and forest clearance.

The Central Government has made a budgetary allocation of Rs. 1300 crore for expansion of the NH-143, which entails construction of another bridge across Brahmani river. But the problem in land acquisition and delay in obtaining forest and environment clearance has made the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry worried.

Recently, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Dr. C P Joshi wrote a letter to Sundargarh MP Hemananda Biswal. Joshi stated that the State Government should take effective steps and actions in removing hurdles to expedite the work soon.

Sources close to Sundargarh MP informed that the Union government has allocated a budget of Rs. 1300 crore for its first phase of the project which will be executed under phase IV-A of the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) on DBFOT (Design Build Finance Operate and Transfer) basis in BOT (toll) mode.

Though tender process has been completed with GAMON India Limited being awarded construction work, the project remain non-starter because problems in land acquisition and forest and environment clearance have not been sorted out by the district administration.

In his letter, Joshi said that at least 80 per cent of the land acquisition is required to start the construction. Though one year has passed since completion of tender, the district administration has failed to acquire even 8 per cent of land, sources said, adding that the State Government is neglecting the work.