State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani Assembly constituency Indira Hridayesh takes no time to pull up the officials concerned over poor condition of national highways like the Haldwani- lalkuan- Bareilly national highway when a mishap occurs, saying maintenance of national highways lies with the Central Government.
But surprisingly, she has done nothing even after two years of her reelection as an MlA from this Assembly constituency to improve the 'poor' conditions of the city roads including the State highways which pass through her Assembly constituency, Haldwani. But surprisingly, she has done nothing even after two years of her reelection as an MlA from this Assembly constituency to improve the condition of the city roads including the State highways which pass through her Assembly constituency, Haldwani.
She may blame the rival party MlA for not doing enough to maintain city roads during his tenure as an MlA between 2007 and 2012, now she has also been at the helm of affairs as an MlA representing the prestigious Haldwani Assembly constituency for the past nearly two years. But nothing has been done even to ensure timely maintenance of the Haldwani city roads connecting different part of the region.
The maintenance of roads that pass through the Haldwani Assembly constituency including the busy Haldwani -Nainital Road, the Haldwani-Kaladhungi-Ramnagar Road, the Haldwani -Chorgalia Road to name a few is a long overdue. But it is quite surprising to know that the State Finance Minister who promises to provide a hassle free ride to the commuters by creating elevated corridor, fails to ensure timely maintenance of rather potholed city roads which now become a deathbed for innocent commuters particularly during rainy season.
Whereas national highways require maintenance after a gap of three years, link roads including State highways that connect different cities or localities also need the same kind of attention after a gap of about four years. Maintenance in terms of overlaying of bitumen on roads that pass through Haldwani like the Haldwani -Nainital Road, the Haldwani-Kaladhungi-Ramnagar Road, the Haldwani -Chorgalia Road to name a few is long overdue, said l D Mathela, Executive Engineer, PWD, Haldwani division, while talking to The Pioneer.
The repair of these roads is late by about four years. These Haldwani road repair works have to be carried out by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as per the Government's decision. Earlier, as per its work schedule, these road repair works had to be carried out by the ADB in its third phase. But the same works have now been listed in the fourth phase of the ADB's work schedule, further said Mathela.
However, it is difficult to say how long it takes the ADB to carry out these Haldwani road repair works, he added. It is to note that like the national highways, the state highways including the Haldwani-Kaladhungi-Ramnagr Road is equally important as it is an approach road to connect major cities like Delhi, Muradabad, Haridwar and Dehradun from Nainital or Haldwani side.
Similarly, the Haldwani-Nainital Road not only serves as main road to Nainital but also connects to rest of the Kumaon division via Almora, while the Haldwani-Chorgaliya Road is important because it is less crowded to reach Tanakpur, Sitarganj and other destinations of terai region from Haldwani side.