Gadchiroli Sept. 4 (District Correspondent) Holding the central government is responsible for the present state of Ashti- Etapalli- Alapalli – Sironcha national highway, former MLA and General Secretary of MPCC Dr. Namdev Usendi has demanded early construction of this highway.
This road has been damaged very badly and the traffic is disrupted alarmingly due to which travellers have been suffering a lot for the last few years. On this background Dr. Usendi, along with other party workers recently visited this road and inspected its condition.
Ashti to Etapalli and Alapalli to Sironcha roads were in good condition before 2014 as state highways. But after 2014 central government included these routes in the list of national highways, there are no funds available with the state government for the repair of the roads that is why the roads have been lying in bad condition, pointed out Dr. Usendi.
There is a heavy traffic of heavy vehicles on this route. Despite the strong opposition of the local people to the Surjagad project, the iron ore from Surjagad has been excavated on a large scale and transported to other districts. There is no restriction of the administration on this mining and transportation. The extra loaded trucks and other vehicles are plied in large numbers on the road to carry the iron ore. This has put the additional load on the road due to which it has damaged very badly, said Dr. Usendi further said.
In fact, the administration informs that it is planned to construct this highway anew. But the work has not started since last three years. BJP leaders have been claiming that the Prime Minister and Union Transport Minister at the Center are efficient. Then why these roads have not been repaired as yet, Usendi has asked. Even the BJP MPs in this area has failed to get the roads repaired, he has alleged.
Earlier, it was a state highway, the state government used to have funds for minor repairs, but since this highway has been transferred to the central government, no funds have been given by the center for such repairs. So the road has remained in pathetic condition and bad days of the people have started. Even during the pre-independence period, the people did not need to travel from Telangana to go to Sironcha, but the central government took the people of Gadchiroli district back to the pre-independence period as now they have to travel via Telangana to reach a place in their own state, Usendi has said.
The central government should take serious note of this matter and start the construction of the road immediately, Usendi has demanded.
