High level team of MoRTH is on third party monitoring the Itanagar- Hollongi NH-415

ITANAGAR, Sep 7: A high level team of the officials from ministry of road, transport and highways (MoRTH), government of India, state PWD highway, third party monitoring consultant THDC India limited visited the Itanagar to Hollongi road on Tuesday to assess the damages caused to this stretch of four-lane highway. The team also includes officials of SPS consultancy which has prepared DPR for the underpass located at bank Tinali and for the damaged portion of Itanagar to Hollongi road for the state PWD Highway.

Starting from the Hollongi the team minutely inspected all the damaged portions. The consultant THDC has been appointed by MoRTH to verify DPR and suggest better ways to strengthen NH-415 in between Chandranagar and Hollongi. While briefing media Neeraj Aggarwal, DGM (design) of THDCIL said joint inspection is being done with a motive of strengthening the Chandranagar to Hollongi road.

“We have brought in a slope stability expert as part of the team. Detailed investigation is being done at micro level. Everything including geology and design is being looked into,” informed DGM. He said a new DPR for reconstruction of Itanagar to Hollongi road will be prepared within a month. “We will submit the DPR to MoRTH within a month. Hopefully in the next 6 months Itanagar to Hollongi road will see improvement,” he said.

The team also visited Papu-Yupia-Hoj-Potin stretch which has suffered major damages. “The entire stretch of Doimukh – Hoj -Potin road will be repaired. We have visited the major damaged portions. For the Kalamati area we are exploring different options,” said DGM Aggarwal.

The team will also visit East Siang where major damages have been caused to Pasighat to Pangin TAH due to monsoon rain. The executive engineer PWD Highway, Naharlagun division Nani Tath while talking to the media explained in detail about the visit.

“In the year 2019 heavy damages took place in Holongi-Itanagar four lane road. Some of the stretches were almost on the verge of complete cut off. The stretch was inspected by Rtd Gen VK Singh MoS MORTH in August 2019 along with Chief Engineer and RO of MORTH,” informed EE. He said on their directions an immediate maintenance and restoration work started at a few stretches in 2019 and simultaneously special repair DPR was prepared through a consultant and submitted to the Ministry.

“Every procedure was completed up to the stage of being sanctioned in Feb 2020 but due to the COVID lockdown, the DPR couldn’t not be sanctioned. Later the DPR again went up to the ministry in March 2021 but sanctions couldn’t be obtained this time too,” added EE Tath.

Recently the issue of Hollongi-Itanagar, Papu-Yupia-Hoj-Potin and Pasighat to Pangin stretches was raised by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju with top officials of MoRTH. “The intervention of Union Law Minister and Chief Minister Pema Khandu came at the right time. The Secretary MoRTH directed the Chief Engineer MoRTH to get a 3rd party vetting of DPR through THDCIL and the Consultant. Today’s visit is the outcome,” said EE Tath.

Further he informed that the ministry has sanctioned Rs 22 crore for carpeting of Itanagar to Hollongi road. However, he said recarpeting will be done only after strengthening of this stretch of NH 415 is completed. The EE also shared that the two wayside amenities have been proposed, one at Hollongi, near airport approach and another one at Nirjuli. He also appealed to the people of the capital region to cooperate especially for construction of package B and C.

Meanwhile Abishek Kumar of SPS consultancy which has prepared design of Bank Tinali underpass while allaying concern over safety of the newly constructed underpass said that underpass is stable and has been constructed as per the design and there is nothing to fear. “The leakage that is happening at the underpass has been done purposefully. This has been done to drain out stagnant rain water. This process is required in this kind of project and is a standard technique. The underpass is absolutely safe and people should not fear,” said Abishek Kumar.

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