Union min lays foundation of double-lane Tripura road

Agartala: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday laid the foundation of double-laning of National Highway 44 in a 48.36-km stretch between Agartala and Udaipur at Amtali in Agartala.
Gadkari arrived in Agartala on Tuesday afternoon by a chartered flight from Guwahati to attend the event. He was accompanied by top officials of his ministry. Gadkari also met chief minister Manik Sarkar.
The two discussed a host of issues ranging from the pending projects in the state to the Centre’s annual funding for maintenance of national highway and other major roads.
Gadkari talked about the Centre’s decision to fund the alternative national highway from Kokital (Assam border) to Sabroom (South Tripura) via Kailashahar and Amarpur.
“The Centre is committed to developing all northeastern states and will improve the communication network by all means. Tripura will get the Centre’s support to develop the roadways and improve the overall communication network,” the Union minister said.
He instructed the National Highway Development Corporation Ltd to complete the double-laning work of Agartala-Udaipur and Udaipur-Sabroom (73.71 km) NH within two years.
The project cost has been estimated at Rs 1,600 crore for NH’s expansion. Pedestrian strips and the drains would be build on both sides of the road connecting southernmost part of Tripura, which also connected with Chittagong sea port through a bridge over the River Feni, Gadkari said.
Sarkar sought central funds for two more national highways, expansion of district roads and NH 44-A connecting Tripura with Mizoram’s capital Aizawl.
The CM lashed out at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that even after his public announcement at Agartala in 2005 for four-laning of National Highway between Churaibari (Assam border) and Agartala, his government sat on the proposal for 10 years.