Rush team to Tripura to repair NH-8, says Gadkari

AGARTALA: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday asked ministry officials to send a technical team to the northeast region to restore Tripura’s lifeline, National Highway-8, which has been badly damaged by rains of the past many weeks.

“Three Tripura parliamentarians met Gadkari in New Delhi on Wednesday to apprise him of the condition of NH-8.

The minister directed officials to send a technical team to the spot,” Tripura’s Lok Sabha member Jitendra Chowdhury said over phone from Delhi. “Gadkari ordered for steps to restore the national highway immediately.

We have submitted photographs and documents on the precarious condition of the highways in the region.” Road Transport and Highways Ministry Secretary Sanjay Mitra was also present during the meeting.

The NH-8 has turned into a muddy field with knee-deep mud at Lowerpoah in south Assam adjoining northern Tripura, thereby almost cutting off Tripura from the rest of the country.

Tripura and other northeastern states are mostly dependent on highways for the supply of essential goods, food grain and fuels from other parts of India.

The supplies to Tripura have continued to be hit severely for more than one and a half months now even as the state government sought the Centre’s and Assam government’s intervention to repair the NH-8.

Following the shortages caused by disruption of both rail and road traffic, prices of essential commodities and fuel have shot up in Tripura. — IANS