Jalpaiguri: The four-lane construction work of the crucial National Highway-31 that links Kolkata to Siliguri and thereafter to the North East has been discontinued in Jalpaiguri district due to heavy rains. According to officials, heavy rains and several litigations related to land availability are the primary reasons for stopping the ongoing work. The NHAI as well as the district administration are in a fix on how to complete the vital stretch, which will connect the districts of Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had also been facing problems relating to land procurement for the project. Several meetings with different stakeholders failed to find any solution. In addition, the arrival of the monsoon is posing a major problem towards the fast progression of work.
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Although a bridge has been constructed due to problems in land availability it is yet to be connected. The old bridge adjacent to the new bridge is not in a condition for regular vehicular movement. The new bridge has been constructed near the four lanes connecting Moinaguri with Jalpaiguri over the Dharala River. However, due to land problems, the approach-way to the bridge is yet to be completed.
The main objections in getting the land for the approach-way have come from five families. Once the new bridge is connected it will not only solve the problem of traffic jams but will also bring an end to the danger of movement over the old bridge.
On the other hand, the survey work for the proposed eight-kilometre stretch of highway in the Dhupguri Bypass area is yet to be started. There had been an attempt to solve the problem by convening a meeting between the local people and NHAI officials at the Dhupguri block office. Similar land-related problems exist in Binnaguri under the Rajgunj block. The NHAI authorities could not start work there because of problems arising over just one kilometre of land. The landowners refused to give their land unless they get their price.
Moinaguri panchayat samiti member, Sibom Basunia admitted the land-related problem. “The existing bridge over Dharala River is in a pathetic stage and vehicular movement over it can really be dangerous. So we want the new bridge to be operational as early as possible. However, because of land problems, the approach-way could not be completed as five families there are still refusing to give their land. However, we feel that the problem will be resolved soon,” he said.
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Recently, Jalpaiguri’s district magistrate Moumita Godara convened a meeting to find out a solution to this problem. The meeting was attended by NHAI's project director, Sanjay Sharma, additional district magistrate Ranjan Chakraborty as well as the members of Moinguri and Dhupguri panchayat samitis.
Earlier too local residents of Tekatuli stopped the work of national highways expansion in the area alleging that they did not receive compensation even after giving land. This highway under East-West Corridor was supposed to connect Siliguri to Assam via Jalpaiguri and Dhupguri. NHAI gave the notification for land acquisition in 2010 and finally got the land in 2015. However, the NHAI is facing trouble as all the land required for this 155-kilometre stretch is yet to be available.
Since 2015, land procurement has been a major headache for the NHAI authorities. Even the work process was delayed for the four-land East-West Corridor Highways. NHAI officials claim that except North Bengal, everywhere in the entire country work has been completed for these highways.
Local residents claimed that for a long time the work for this proposed four-lane had been going on. But the work is never completed. With the arrival of monsoons, the vehicular movement has become extremely difficult. At times even ambulances are stuck in traffic jams. The residents want the problem to be resolved at the earliest.
NHAI’s project director Sanjiv Sharma said officially almost the entire land is under the ownership of NHAI now. “Yes, there is discontent over the compensation. After meeting with the state administration it has been decided that the work of evicting the encroachers will begin soon. This eviction will be done over land where legal suits have been filed over compensation. Later, we will go by the direction of the court,” he said.
