Bombarded with people’s complaints over pathetic condition of roads the Tamil Nadu government has told National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that it would take over the road restoration work. But, it is not clear as to who will bear the cost, estimated at 82.33 crore. It is said work on bypass roads carried out by NHAI was moving at a snail’s pace. With this, the State government, for the first time, has taken over maintenance and restoration of 11 stretches, extending to 81.27 km.
Under the National Highways Development Programme, the NHAI has started widening national highways into six-lane/four -lane. In the urban areas, bypasses are preferred so as to decongest the national highways, which go into towns. But sources said there was a delay on the part of the NHAI in entrusting the works to contractors and bypass projects continue to see slow progress.
Hence, the national highways stretches in urban areas remain unattended to. It is only when the bypasses are completed by NHAI, the State steps in to maintain the highways. Though a State government order was issued for taking up the maintenance works, NHAI blamed the State government for the delay in delivery of projects.
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