AGARTALA, February 5 (TIWN): Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari’s visit in Tripura to lay the foundation stone of Agartala-Udaipur NH-44 project work has been cancelled with the work likely to get delay. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Gadkari scheduled to visit Tripura on February 9. The department would take up the Agartala-Udaipur road on its first phase while during the second phase the Udaipur-Sabroom would be taken up on its second phase.According to the highly placed sources from the state PWD department the MoRTH has cancelled their visit in Tripura, who were scheduled to visit here on February 9 to lay the foundation stone of the Agartala-Udaipur National Highway (NH)-44 at Agartala Amtali area. However, the cancellation of the visit of the MoRTH here in the state ahead of the ADC election likely to take another period of time to kick start the preface work of the NH-44 project. According to the officials of the state PWD department Rs. 400+ crore has been sanctioned for the project work of the Agartala-Udaipur NH-44 road while Rs. 470 crore has been sanctioned for the Udaipur-Sabroom NH-44 road.

The department would take up the Agartala-Udaipur road on its first phase while Udaipur-Sabroom road during its second phase, informed the officials of the PWD department.

According to the officials of the state PWD department one Hyderabad based KMC Constructions Limited has been selected for the work of the Agarrtala-Udaipurr NH-44 construction work while for the Udaipur-Sabroom road one Delhi based Oriental Structural Engineering agency has been assigned for the work.

The officials further informed that during the construction work of NH-44 from Agartala to Udaipur at least 3 places comprising of Bishalgarh, Shantirbazar and Julaibari would be taken up for the re-alignment. At least 35 curbs on Agartala-Udaipur road would be minimized during the extension of the road, said the officials.

The PWD department has already acquired with the compensation being given to the affected families as per the recently notified 3D land acquisition act, officials said.

Earlier talking to the reporters PWD Engineer in Chief Sunil Bhowmik said that department has recently sent Rs. 13 crore project proposal to the central government. The project would address flood damage situations in different parts of the state, said Bhowmik.

Bhowmik earlier said that the state PWD department would take up the maintenance work of another 94 Km from the BRO by April, 2015.