Traders urged development of National Highway-34

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 3: The Union minister for shipping, road transport and highways, Mr TR Baalu, has acknowledged the representation for the reconstruction of NH-34 submitted by the Malda Traders’ body through the Union minister for information and broadcasting, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi. Mr Das Munshi wrote a letter to Mr TR Baalu, apprising him about the bad condition of National Highway-34, which is regarded as the ‘life line’ of north and south Bengal for communication. In his letter to Mr Das Munshi, Mr Baalu promised to look into the matter. The copy of Mr Baalu’s letter was sent to the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (MMCC) on 13 November 2007. The MMCC had sent the same representation to the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, for the development of NH-34 last month, pointing out the ‘deplorable’ condition of the highway and urged him to take initiatives to reconstruct a better road for the development of these areas. “A district needs a good national highway and an airport for the development of trade and industrialisation. But despite several reminders being sent to the authorities, nothing has been executed yet,” said Mr Jayanta Kundu, the district secretary of MMCC. Mr Kundu also said: “Both the Union ministers, Mr Das Munshi and Mr Pranab Mukherjee can take initiatives easily to develop the present condition of NH-34 and the existing Malda airport.” Though the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) took initiative to develop NH-34, nothing has been done yet. Though the NHAI has completed its survey, it is facing problems to acquire lands for the widening project in south Bengal districts, like Nadia. On the other hand, after the completion of the survey conducted by consultancy firms, NHAI officials are busy with the publication of land proposals for acquisition for the construction of several bypass roads in Murshidabad, Malda and North Dinajpur. NHAI has decided to build separate bypass roads for uninterrupted traffic flow. NH-34 is facing the problem of congestion. As a result of this, no permanent repairing job has taken at present, for better road connectivity of the existing highway connecting north and south Bengal.