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Guwahati, Feb 5 (IANS) Problems of law and order, land acquisition and environmental clearances delayed the East-West Corridor project in Assam but the remaining work is expected to be done by December 2014, union Road Transport and Highways Minister C.P. Joshi said Tuesday. "A total of 431 km of the national highway (NH) in Assam under the East-West Corridor project has already been completed and another 63 km length is expected to be completed by March this year," he told media persons after a review meeting here. The total length of East-West Corridor project in Assam is 670 km, of which the total length under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is 639 km. While the length completed till January this year is 431 km, another 63 km is expected to be completed by March this year. "There are law and order problems followed by problems of environmental clearances and other land related problems. However, all the problems have been resolved and works are on in full swing," Joshi said. "The works are being implemented in 26 different packages. While four packages - the Nagaon-Daboka-Lanka-Udali section had been completed, five more packages are likely to be completed by June this year, other three packages are likely to be completed by December 2013 while the balance packages are likely to be completed by December next year," he said. Joshi also said that his ministry has taken up an ambitious Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) for development of road network in the northeastern region. The SARDP-NE envisages providing road connectivity to all district headquarters in the region by minimum two-lane highway standards apart from providing road connectivity to backward and remote areas, areas of strategic importance and neighbouring countries. He said the SARDP-NE programme planned in two phases, including Arunachal Pradesh package, covers about 10,141 km. "Phase A of SARDP-NE, including Arunachal package, covers 6,418 km at an estimated cost of Rs.33,688 crore," he said while adding that so far work on 1,000 km has been completed while the project is targeted for completion by June 2016. The phase B of the project is at conceptual stage, the minister said.
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