Due to heavy rainfall, the repair work for National Highway-6 in East Jaintia Hills will take around three months to complete.
This was stated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) during a recent hearing in the Meghalaya High Court.
The Project Director, NHAI, Shillong has filed an affidavit dated July 5 along with the status report dated July 3 explaining about the status of the repair work.
The lawyer appearing for NHAI told the High Court that a comprehensive strengthening and improvement project is on and that the repair work is also carried on.
He also stated that due to heavy rainfall, the work could not be completed and it is moving at a snail’s pace.
According to him, if there is going to be any landslide, the work carried on will again be affected and they have to redo the exercise. He also told the court that the NHAI requires three months’ time to complete the entire repair work and to show significant progress with regard to the repairing of the road and to ensure that a proper road is laid.
However, the High Court opined that although the NHAI sought three months’ time, unless there is a proper monitoring by the court, the work will come to a standstill.
Refusing to grant three months’ time at a stretch to know the further status of the work, the High Court has listed the matter for hearing on July 24.
“Depending upon the progress that is going to be placed before the court, further time will be considered and granted,” the High Court said.
It may be noted that the NHAI had on October 17, 2023 approved the proposal for strengthening and repair of NH-6 between Jowai-Ratacherra at an estimated cost of Rs 200.81 crore.
The work has been taken up in two packages and the tender for package-I for the strengthening/improvement work, including regular maintenance work, from Km 69.200 to Km 120.200 was finalised and Letter of Acceptance vide letter No. 25941 was issued on February 7 this year.
The contract agreement was signed on March 8, 2024, for a contract amount of Rs 77.81 crore and the work commenced on March 23, 2024.
The department stated that the tender for second package for the strengthening/improvement work, including regular maintenance work, from Km 120.200 to Km 171.455 was finalised and a Letter of Acceptance No. 25914 was issued on February 2, 2024, for contract amount of Rs. 122.99 crore
The contract agreement was signed on February 22, 2024, and the work commenced on March 22, 2024.
Regarding critical vulnerable locations on NH-6 and preparation of a mitigation plan for the same, THDCIL had been selected by NHAI as the consultant responsible for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for landslide mitigation and slope stabilisation at seven vulnerable locations, including addressing mudslide/landslide concerns at the Sonapur Tunnel area.
An MoU was signed between NHAI and THDCIL on February 15, 2024 to prepare the DPR for these seven locations. The DPR amounting to Rs 89.90 crore for these locations was submitted by THDCIL and forwarded to Regional Office NHAI Guwahati on June 18, 2024 for the allotment of the work/tendering and the sanction of the same is awaited.
