AGARTALA, November 8 (TIWN): 104 Km Four laning of Churaibari-Agartala-Sabroom section of National Highway-44 in the state Tripura is now under the jurisdiction of State PWD department from Border Road Organization (BRO). The NH-44 laning would be taken up by the PWD in the next financial year 2015.

According to the sources The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently gave an approval of Rs. 15 crore for the maintenance and the development of the NH-44, connecting Churaibari with Sabroom via Agartala.  

The Cabinet gave approval `in-principle’ for four laning of 330 Km. length of National Highway-44 from Churaibari (Assam/Tripura border) to Sabroom, via Agartala in Oct., 2007 with the direction to undertake tendering on EPC basis and seek investment decision from Cabinet based on tenders. Subsequently, Government approved investment of Rs.236 crore in Nov., 2008 for pre-construction activities and land acquisition for four-laning of NH-44 in Tripura. Due to low volume of traffic, for which four-laning is not justified and constraint of funds under SARDP-NE, it was decided to take up two-laning of Churaibari-Agartala-Sabroom section of NH-44 in Tripura in the first stage alongwith pre-construction activities for four-laning. 

Prime Minister Monmohan Singh, during his visit to Tripura in October 2005, had announced four laning of NH 44 as national project but no headway was made over the past seven years despite several rounds of discussions and meetings. And later during the year 2012 on the month of October the Union Secretary for Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways AK Upadhya and his team of Ministry arrived in the state to review the progress of NH-44.

However, to mention here the current situation of the National Highway connecting Chandrapur with Jirania via Ranirbazar has gained a major depression as the condition of the road remained worst leading the transporters to face several hurdles. Whereas the concerned department acting as a silent spectator. Moreover recently when the whole stretch of the NH-44 from Churaibari to Sabroom has been taken by the PWD, it is to be mentioned here that this must be another success of Tripura Govt. to make another entry to embezzlement. According to a section of people the Tripura Govt. this time may loot another 50 percent Central fund in the name of NH-44. And this time the PWD department may take the benefit of it.

And if everything goes well in regard of laning NH-44 than the improved NH-44 will provide easy connectivity to Agartala, the State capital town of Tripura with East-West Corridor on NH-44 from Churaibari to Sabroom. This will also provide better connectivity to remote and far-flung areas of the State.