BRO SUBMITS STATUS REPORT ON ROAD IMPROVEMENT WORKS
15 OUT OF 37 ROAD PROPOSALS GRANTED ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
GANGTOK, 13 Sept: Out of a total of 37 proposals submitted by the Border Roads Organisation for widening and maintenance of roads in the state of Sikkim, 15 have been accorded final approval while another 14 proposals have received in-principle approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests; another 8 proposals for road widening works are informed to be pending with the State government.
This is the present status of the works being undertaken by the Ministry of Surface Transport through BRO for road widening in Sikkim, especially along the National Highway 31A. This status report had been sought by the High Court of Sikkim.
In early 2010, the High Court had registered a suo moto petition hauling up various central government agencies, including the Ministry of Surface Transport and the BRO along with the State government, for the deteriorating condition of the national highway, the ‘lifeline’ of Sikkim.
It had been highlighted that it had been several years since talk of widening and improving along with double-laning of the highway had been going on but there was hardly any improvement on ground. The central government has also been spending crores on maintaining the national highway but it was a question as to how the money was being spent and for what purpose.
Today, the status report was submitted to the Court.
The main delay is informed to be due to the time taken to get environmental clearance for the road expansion programmes. The BRO has been acquiring clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest but the process is time consuming. Since NH 31A spans the two states of Sikkim and West Bengal, environmental clearance applications have to be forwarded to two difference regional offices of the MoEF. The regional MoEF office for Sikkim is in Shillong, Meghalaya, while that for West Bengal is in Bhubaneshwar, Orrisa. From the regional offices, the applications are forwarded to the Union Ministry in New Delhi.
It is informed that of the 37 proposals for road widening in Sikkim, 15 have been accorded approval and are in various stages of construction. These roads include the NH31A, the JN Marg to Nathula and the North Sikkim Highway. For the 14 proposals which have been accorded in-principle approval are subject to conditions such as payment for afforestation. The Shillong regional office of the MoEF has also sought some clarifications from the BRO regarding these projects.
On the other hand, the Bhubaneswar regional office of the MoEF has received 9 proposals for road widening works along NH31A on the West Bengal side. Of these, 4 have been accorded final approval while 5 are pending and have been sent back to the West Bengal government for clarification and for compliance of certain conditions.
It will only be on the fulfillment of all conditions that final approval will be granted to the pending proposals following which they can be undertaken by the implementing agency, the BRO.
In fact the BRO usually cites the cumbersome process of acquiring such clearances to explain delays. There is also the matter of complying with the various conditions as stipulated by the MoEF. BRO would also do well to look into the irritant of slush created due to road widening works blocking the highway.
15 OUT OF 37 ROAD PROPOSALS GRANTED ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
GANGTOK, 13 Sept: Out of a total of 37 proposals submitted by the Border Roads Organisation for widening and maintenance of roads in the state of Sikkim, 15 have been accorded final approval while another 14 proposals have received in-principle approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests; another 8 proposals for road widening works are informed to be pending with the State government.
This is the present status of the works being undertaken by the Ministry of Surface Transport through BRO for road widening in Sikkim, especially along the National Highway 31A. This status report had been sought by the High Court of Sikkim.
In early 2010, the High Court had registered a suo moto petition hauling up various central government agencies, including the Ministry of Surface Transport and the BRO along with the State government, for the deteriorating condition of the national highway, the ‘lifeline’ of Sikkim.
It had been highlighted that it had been several years since talk of widening and improving along with double-laning of the highway had been going on but there was hardly any improvement on ground. The central government has also been spending crores on maintaining the national highway but it was a question as to how the money was being spent and for what purpose.
Today, the status report was submitted to the Court.
The main delay is informed to be due to the time taken to get environmental clearance for the road expansion programmes. The BRO has been acquiring clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest but the process is time consuming. Since NH 31A spans the two states of Sikkim and West Bengal, environmental clearance applications have to be forwarded to two difference regional offices of the MoEF. The regional MoEF office for Sikkim is in Shillong, Meghalaya, while that for West Bengal is in Bhubaneshwar, Orrisa. From the regional offices, the applications are forwarded to the Union Ministry in New Delhi.
It is informed that of the 37 proposals for road widening in Sikkim, 15 have been accorded approval and are in various stages of construction. These roads include the NH31A, the JN Marg to Nathula and the North Sikkim Highway. For the 14 proposals which have been accorded in-principle approval are subject to conditions such as payment for afforestation. The Shillong regional office of the MoEF has also sought some clarifications from the BRO regarding these projects.
On the other hand, the Bhubaneswar regional office of the MoEF has received 9 proposals for road widening works along NH31A on the West Bengal side. Of these, 4 have been accorded final approval while 5 are pending and have been sent back to the West Bengal government for clarification and for compliance of certain conditions.
It will only be on the fulfillment of all conditions that final approval will be granted to the pending proposals following which they can be undertaken by the implementing agency, the BRO.
In fact the BRO usually cites the cumbersome process of acquiring such clearances to explain delays. There is also the matter of complying with the various conditions as stipulated by the MoEF. BRO would also do well to look into the irritant of slush created due to road widening works blocking the highway.
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