Baalu rejects NE MPs’ demand

The appeal by North East MPs Forum to reconsider the Centre’s decision to hand over the maintenance of NH 52 to Assam Public Works Department (PWD) has been rejected by Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu.
The highway is considered to be lifeline of landlocked Arunachal Pradesh and was being maintained by Border Road Organisation (BRO) for the last eight years. Baalu, in a letter to Arunachal MP Kiren Rijiju, said out of the total 872 km length of NH 52, only 345 km from Baihata Chariali to North Lakhimpur had been entrusted to the Assam PWD, as it was maintaining NH 31. Rijiju in a rejoinder said the condition of the highway prior to the handing over of the maintenance to BRO is remembered by the people. “I feel that your Ministry has succumbed to the pressure of Assam Government and has taken an unjust decision to give back the strategic road to that State,” he said and demanded review of the decison “in the greater interest of the people.”

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