The long-pending work of highway broadening is set to get delayed further on account of the no-objection certificate not being issued by the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department so far. The 700-metre stretch of the road which is still under the state of Uttar Pradesh awaits clearance from the State Government.
The broadening work of national highway 58 was started during Kumbh Mela of 2010 and was targeted to be completed before Ardh Kumbh Mela but delay in permissions and land acquisitions is extending the delay in this project.
In the past few months the broadening work picked up some speed but the decision on broadening of road patch between Keshav Ashram and Shankaracharya Chowk still remains in oblivion. Here the 700 metres expansion work is to be done on the land of Uttar Pradesh Government.
The officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had sent the proposal to UP irrigation department of broadening the work through irrigation department colony but the consent has not been received yet. To add to this, a UP minister recently announced the construction of new guest house and a ghat in this region so the consent procedure is further pushed aside.
If geographically seen there is no alternative than to get No objection certificate from the UP irrigation department since the four lane work from Jwalapur to Shankaracharya chowk has been planned along the Ganga canal.
Beyond the Shankaracharya chowk, the land is under UP irrigation department and other side has residential complexes. Without the consent, the work cannot be resumed say the authorities.
Speaking to The Pioneer, project director of NHAI P S Gusain said, “For the 700 metres stretch of road broadening, talks are underway with the Uttar Pradesh government at state level. After getting the consent from the UP Government, the work can be resumed.”
Notably, the broadening work has picked up speed beyond this 700 metres road stretch but this is proving a major bottleneck in the work completion. The flyover work near Chandi bridge has also started.