Despite assurances from Union Transport Min, work on NH-512 yet to commence

BALURGHAT: Despite assurances from Union Transport minister Nitin Gadkari, work on proposed four-lane Hili-Gazole National Highway 512 is yet to see light of the day.

Questions have also arisen among the residents of South Dinajpur district about the future of this much needed project.

Incidentally, work on the project was said to start within six months of the announcement but more than a year-and-a-half has passed and the work has not progressed even by an inch. This was announced by Gadkari at a press conference in Siliguri in February 2022. As per his announcement, Hili-Gazole NH-512 will be a four-lane highway to be built at a cost of approximately Rs 1300 crore.

Gadkari’s announcement created extreme frenzy among the people of the district.

Unfortunately, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project has not been prepared till date even after the announcement of the cost of the project. This has created a lot of anger among the people of the district before the Lok Sabha polls. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), the ruling party in the state, has started taunting the BJP government at the Centre.

Balurghat Lok Sabha MP and state president of BJP Sukanta Majumder said that when the project is announced, the work will definitely start.

“Maybe there is some complication somewhere. I will inquire about the situation and take action. If necessary, I will meet the Union Transport minister and talk about it,” he said.

Biplab Mitra, State Consumer Protection minister, said: “BJP can do nothing but make promises. I don’t know why they make such false promises.”

Liton Sarkar, a resident of Trimohini, said: “My house is next to NH-512. I heard that there will be a phone call for the acquisition of land for the four-lane road. I don’t understand when it will happen. My house will be destroyed if the road is expanded. I am in doubt about what will happen. I contacted the office of the Transport department but the officials don’t know

anything either.”

Like Sarkar, there is uncertainty among the residents about which road will be four-lane — Hili-Patiram-Gazole NH-512 or Hili-Balurghat-Gazole NH-512.

Many people are not able to start building houses or

shops along the road due to lack of knowledge.