Responding to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha’s request, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has directed the top officials to study the condition and to take appropriate steps for the National Highway-8, the state’s lifeline, officials said on Wednesday. The National Highway-8 between Assam’s Sribhumi district (formerly Karimganj) and Tripura’s Sabroom sub-division, along Bangladesh, connects the state (Tripura) with the rest of the country through Assam.
An official of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Saha had earlier informed the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, about the poor condition of certain stretches of the National Highway. In response to the Chief Minister’s request, the Union Minister, in a written communication earlier, informed that an official team from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) recently inspected the National Highways.
It was stated that a detailed report based on the inspection would be submitted to the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry by August 15.
As per the instructions of the Union Minister, the Managing Director of NHIDCL, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, Krishna Kumar, would visit the state on August 10 to review the construction and repair work of various National Highways in Tripura.
The Chief Minister has repeatedly drawn the attention of the Union Ministry to the urgent need for renovation of these important alternative highways in the state, the official said. He said that Saha, who holds the PWD portfolio, has also personally discussed the matter several times over the phone with the Union Minister Gadkari.
Additionally, the Chief Minister has directed the Secretary of the Public Works Department, Kiran Gitte, to pay special attention to this issue and to take necessary steps in coordination with the central authorities.
Tripura currently has six National Highways, and the Centre recently sanctioned a few more National Highways to improve the surface connectivity.
