State builds 1868.63 km roads in 2021-22 fiscal at a cost of more than Rs 3,104 cr

kolkata: The state Public Works Department (PWD) has constructed 1868.63 km road in the 2021-22 financial year till March 7 and has spent Rs 3104.93 crore for this purpose, PWD minister Moloy Ghatak said at the state Assembly on Monday.

In reply to a query from BJP MLA Bishal Lama, the minister said that work for another 3196.30 km road is going on in full swing. Responding to another supplementary question, the minister said that work for damaged roads resulting from flood-like situations in the state two to three times last year has also been taken up on a war footing.

"The weather has been erratic during the rainy season this year with a flood-like situation in the state happening on two or three occasions in different parts of the state. This resulted in the damage of roads. We have taken up the repair of these roads on a war footing. 260 roads stretching across 1868 km has been completed. Presently work for 333 roads spanning across 2740 km is going on," Ghatak said.

Even National Highway 10 in Darjeeling which was badly damaged due to landslides was restored by the PWD department within 10 days. "We have also taken up the repair of a 40 km road in East Midnapore district that comprises the industrial belt of Haldia," Ghatak said.

During the question-answer session, a number of supplementary questions that were raised were related to delays in the repair of roads under the Zilla Parishad. Ghatak said that some of the roads under the Zilla Parishad have been transferred to the PWD department recently and work for repairing these roads have already started.

One MLA from North Bengal flagged an issue of white pebbles being used in the repair of roads, even after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's repeated instructions of not using these pebbles. "The PWD department does not use these pebbles in the mending of roads. If anyone can bring the issue of using white pebbles before my knowledge, action will be taken," he added.