PWD to push Centre for extension of ADB loan period

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 2: The rural access roads project to connect national highways in the state has been in limbo for some time now, and as time for the project is running out, the public works department has realised that it’s time for action.

It has been decided, therefore, that the principal secretary of the public works department will approach the Centre to extend the period of the loan taken from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for implementing the project. “We have to approach the Centre to extend the period of loan taken from ADB, which will end in 2009, because many projects are either progressing slowly or have stalled midway, and are not in a position to be completed within the stipulated time,” said Mr PS Bandyopadhyay, a senior officer of the project implementing unit, adding that the principal secretary of the department would approach the Centre for the extension of project period soon.

Mr Bandyopadhyay disclosed that a few projects in north Bengal and other areas had stalled because the contractors either had abandoned them or had been dispensed with for failing to perform to expectation.

“We need more time... to finish the project,” Mr Bandyopadhyay said, explaining that fresh tenders would be required to begin completion of the pending construction work. In Malda district, two such rural access roads, connecting National Highway 34, have been abandoned recently, and the project implementing unit in the state is finding it difficult to complete them within the deadline set earlier.

In November 2006, a contractor was assigned to widen and strengthen a state highway from Mangalbari to Aiho Bridge, a 14-km stretch. The estimated cost of the project was Rs 16 crore. Though the construction company started work in February 2007, it stopped work on the road just before the monsoon last year, and could not resume work after the monsoon. The engineers overseeing the work issued a warning to the company and were finally forced to terminate its services in December 2008. At present, owing to its half-constructed state, the road is in a terrible condition, paralysing traffic and greatly inconveniencing the residents along the highway. The fate of another road that was under construction, from Sustani to Mehadipur near Gour, famous for its historical ruins, is in a similar condition as the contractor concerned abandoned the project a few months ago.

It was estimated that a total of Rs 15.62 crore would be required for widening and strengthening the road for transportation of goods through Mehadipur check post for export to Bangladesh. “We have engaged a contractor for repair and maintenance of the two roads under progress till fresh contractors are appointed to finish the work,” Mr Bandyopadhyay said. “We expect that we will be able to appoint new contractors to finish the pending work in April. We have already started the process after terminating the contractors appointed earlier,” he added.