As war of words between the ruling coalition of State and BJP over construction of roads in the district intensified, Dhanbad MP PN Singh stepped into the war by shooting a letter to Union Minister for National Highways and Surface transport Nitin Gaskari .
The letter comes at a time when construction of the eight lane road between Kanko Math to Goal building has been stopped by the State Government on grounds that the construction of this 12 kms road is unwarranted keeping in view the requirements of the district.
This road was being constructed at a cost of Rs 337 crores from funds made available by the World Bank. It was one of the dream projects of former Dhanbad Mayor and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Agarwal. Ths road was being constructed by the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) and Rs 220 crores already have been transferred to the corporation for this road.
Though the State Government stopped construction, Congress leaders of Dhanbad started demanding completion of road project sighting the people plight and rising accidents on roads during the monsoon season.
Huge ditches, on either side of road all across the stretch can be seen that make the existing portion of road accident prone.
The meeting for taking final decision on the fate of this road that was scheduled on Thursday was postponed and now is scheduled on September 15.
Dhanbad Congress president BP Singh meanwhile, said our demand is just to ensure the safety of people who use the road for coming to Dhanbad Baghmara and Katras areas on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, MP PN Singh in his letter to the union minister has requested for initiating steps for completion of incomplete section of NH-2 in Dhanbad district administration. The six lane road between Barwaada to Barakar in the district remains incomplete at several locations making this stretch of road equally accident prone .
The work remains stalled due to none payment of the compensation against land acquired for expansion of the existing four lane to six lane road .
Talking to the media Singh said , both the union minister and chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have been requested to initiate steps for completion of the NH.
On the suspension of construction of eight lane road the MP said that the discussion was taken under pressure. Now when DMC elections are likely after Durga Puja theJMM and it's alliance partner Congress want to take political advantage thus demands for starting construction has started.