KAILASHAHAR, December 13 (TIWN): Due to total carelessness of Border Roads Organization(BRO) people traveling in Kailashar-Kumarghat are now suffering. It is alleged that instead of doing the work properly BRO officials are now involved in massive corruption. According to TIWN sources, BRO released the sub tender for stone chips supply to Guwahati based construction company namely Shalimar Infra Ltd but due to a dispute surrounding the payment from BRO the company is yet to supply the stone chips. In order to protect themselves BROs are now trying to put a lame excuse that due to non-supply of stone chips the worof the work has not k is yet to be completed. It is to be mentioned here that Ministry of Road Transport and Highway Authorities(MoRTH) , Govt of India sanctioned Rs 90 crore during the year 2011-13 for the upgradation of 28km Kumarghat-Kailashahar NH44 into double lane and it was scheduled to be completed within two years time but the reality is that even 10% of the work is yet to be finished.

     One will be surprised to know that BRO has rather worsened the situation by upgrading nearly 100 old culverts. During the upgradation of these culverts BRO raised the height of the approach roads and as a result, it becomes really difficult for the movement of vehicles. Several times complaints were lodged with the state PWD department but none was there to pay heed to these complaints. At last on Wednesday PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury and PWD Chief Engineer(Roads & Buildings) Sunil Bhowmik went to Kailashahar to oversee the current situation. During their visit BRO officials told the PWD Minister and the PWD Engineer Chief that due to the shortage of stone supply it didn't complete the double landing of 28km NH44.

        However, later on PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury told the press ," By March 2015 BRO has assured to complete 50% of the work. And the total work will be completed by March 2016." But according to TIWN sources by March 2015 the double landing can't be completed because the BRO is yet to complete the work of soil cutting and filing the roadside. Moreover, in hilly areas generally drains are to be constructed with adequate depths so that even if landslides occurs , soil does not stagnate on the road. But even today the drainage and earth filling are yet to be completed.

        The Lorries transporting goods in NH44 and the autos carrying railway passengers are to face real hardships and the expenditure for vehicle maintenance has increased considerably. Moreover,if the road was completed one would reach Kumarghat from Kailashahar in 20 minutes but now they take almost 40 minutes or even more. Meanwhile, PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury told the press that MoRTH has sanctioned two more National Highway projects in Tripura - Dharmanagar-Kukital-Kumarghat and Jolaibari-Sabroom-Belonia-Kukital.

        Over the years BRO has been in charge in the construction and maintenance of NH44. But from the very beginning BROs local ofgicials have been involved in corruption and quite naturally people and vehicles moving along this road are to suffer.