NHIDCL sets Dec deadline to complete four-lane highway from Nagaon bypass to Dibrugarh

GUWAHATI: The NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation) is giving full thrust to complete the four-lane highway from the end of Nagaon bypass to Dibrugarh within December 31, 2021. As on December 31, 2020, 141 km of the mentioned stretch has been already completed. The NHIDCL is fully-owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MRT&H).

The mentioned stretch of 365 km will, however, exclude the 40-km Gohpur-Numaligarh portion including the proposed bridge or tunnel on the Brahmaputra. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) of this entire Gohpur-Numaligarh portion is yet to be approved.

Talking to The Sentinel, NHIDCL Executive Director, Regional Office Guwahati, Pankaj Singh said, "Work is in full swing now. The completion period of a few projects connected with the four-lane highway from Nagaon to Dibrugarh was in the middle part of 2022. Nevertheless, we are trying our utmost to complete the entire project by December 2021."

Singh added, "There are some land-related issues on the Jhanji to Demow stretch besides the portions passing via Dergaon town and Biswanath Chariali. We hope that the issues will be settled soon.

"Recently, the Chief Secretary of Assam reviewed these issues at a meeting in the presence of NHIDCL Managing Director Keshav Kumar Pathak. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary also directed the respective Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to resolve the land-related issues at the earliest."

Giving details, NHIDCL sources pointed out, "Of the three portions on this four-lane highway, 7.5 km completed of the 36-km stretch from Nagaon bypass to Kaliabar Tinali; 57 km of the 126-km portion from Kaliabar Tinali to Holongi; as well as 75.50 km of the 194-km from Numaligarh to Dibrugarh."