The State Government on Thursday claimed that Jharkhand’s roads are in better shape meeting all the guidelines of road safety manual. State Rural Development Minister, Neelkanth Singh Munda, while replying to a query made by BJP legislator from Garhwa, Satyendra Nath Tiwari, said, “Around 90 per cent of roads in State are in good conditions, meeting the safety manuals in construction process.” Munda admitted that some roads might have faulty constructions, but majority are in good shape.
Earlier, the BJP MLA in question hour raised the issue that safety manuals have not been followed in construction of major roads including national highways. These roads have numerous and haphazardly constructed culverts, bridges and diversions. These culverts, bridges and diversions have not been constructed as per civil engineering manuals. Tiwari said, “Faulty constructions of diversions leads to death of more than thousands of people in past few years in road accidents. Worse, many a times the family members of road accidents victim do not get compensation. Even the State government does not have the figure of such road accident victims.”
Tiwari demanded the State Government to take strict action against the construction companies and engineers for constructing such roads. Munda said, “Road construction department does not have the figure of number of deaths in road accidents, also the State Disaster Management provides compensation to victim of road accidents.” The minister also claimed death figure as quoted by concerned MLA due to faulty constructions of diversion, culvert and bridges is not correct and if Tiwari has an example of such roads where civil engineering guidelines has not been followed the department will take up the case.
Tiwari on minister’s remark posed a challenge to him, he said, “I am ready to quit my membership from house if the statement given by me is incorrect. He also stated that the Ranchi-Daltonganj national highway 75 is an example. I request the minister to visit NH 75 for reality check.”
Speaker intervening on the issue asked the minister to look into the grievances raised by concerned lawmaker.
The issue of delay in allotments of houses by Jharkhand State Housing Board was also raised by Bokaro MLA, Biranchi Narayan in the question hour. The legislator raising the issue stated that the Jharkhand State Housing Board in 2011 issued an advertisement for construction of houses in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh and Daltonganj followed by which houses were allotted to 209 applicants. Out of 209 applicants, 39 applicants had deposited 100 per cent of total money, while 116 applicants had deposited 50 per cent of total money. Later, in 2015 the Housing Board in its 40th governing board meeting cancelled the allotment of houses in Ranchi. The victims later approached Jharkhand High Court with their pleas later the court intervening on the issue quashed the housing board directive. Biranchi urged the concerned minister to provide allotment of houses to concerned beneficiaries.
State Urban Development and Housing minister, CP Singh replying to the lawmaker said that by end of March this year, the beneficiaries will get the houses as allotted.