EAST-WEST CORRIDOR TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED BY 2009

The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Thiru T.R. Baalu has said that the East-West Corridor which, passes through the States of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, is likely to be substantially completed by 2009. Speaking at the Parliamentary Consultative Committee Meeting of the Ministry, Thiru T.R. Baalu said that on completion, this Corridor would open up new opportunities for the people residing in these States and lead to all round economic development of these States. The subject of the today’s Consultative Committee Meeting was the progress of work on the East West Corridor.

Thiru Baalu said that the main problems affecting the progress have been the delay in disbursement of compensation for land acquisition in Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. There has also been some delay in Uttar Pradesh due to the condition stipulated by the State Government for providing 10-metre wide strip of land for afforestation before allowing tree-cutting, the Minister said and added that law and order in Assam has also to some extent affected the work in that State. However, assuring the Members, Thiru Baalu said that all these issues are being pursued with the respective State Governments and efforts are being made to speed up the work.

Giving details about the progress of the East-West Corridor, the Minister said that out of the total length of 3,443 kms, widening has already been completed in 765 kms and is in progress in a length of 2,446 kms and the work in a length of 232 kms remains to be awarded. This includes 201 kms in West Bengal from Siliguri on NH-31 to West Bengal/Assam Border where the alignment had to be changed due to Mahananda and Jaldapara Wild Life Sanctuaries and Buxa Tiger Reserve, Thiru Baalu said.