Tuesday, September 08, 2009

NH 31-A gets a facelift

GANGTOK, September 7: Giving a serious thought about the bad road conditions on some stretch along the National Highway 31-A, the Border Road Organization (BRO) is according top priority towards the much-needed facelift of the Highway.
De-congesting the roads with the one way traffic and bye-passing of the roads at certain places between Siliguri to Gangtok are in the priority list of BRO, it has been learnt.
SP Sharma, Director of Works Swastik Division informed media that although gradual works have been started since the month of June, progress in works will be seen from the first week of October. “Bye-pass roads will be constructed in small towns, which comes across the National Highway,” he said.
While stating that the concerned Ministry under Government of India has allocated the fund for the said purpose, Mr. Sharma said that the work is expected to be over by 2012.
Talking about the three landslides prone zones along the Highway, the Director said an artificial tunnel would be built up at Bardang with the diversion road avoiding the landslide mishap during monsoons. This work is expected to get over by next monsoon, he added.
To tackle regular landslide at 9th Mile and Kapur towards Teesta, the BRO is taking help from the State Mines and Geology Department to divert the water flow and to channelize the road. “Here the road would be realigned 300m upside the road,” Mr. Sharma said.
BRO has also identified 21 minor trouble areas with narrow roads and landslides.
“We are putting our level best to make the Siliguri-Gangtok National Highway as one of the best highways in the country and we assure no more troubles would be faced by the people after the completion of the works by 2012,” the Director said.