AGARTALA, May 13 (TIWN): A vast number of commuters and drivers of the vehicles including night supers and goods carrying trucks are facing several problems due to deplorable condition of National Highway (NH) 44 at Churaibari. After the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) handed over development and maintenance of 104 km of the Assam Agartala National Highway (NH-44) to the PWD from Border Roads Organization (BRO) in July 16th, 2013, the condition of the NH-44 is getting worse day-by-day due to negligence of PWD. And the CPI (M) party fund of CPI (M) is increasing day by day by embezzling the funds provided by the Central Government for maintenance of NH-44.It is to be mentioned here that earlier, when the maintenance work of NH-44 was under Border Roads Organization (BRO) the maintenance work was progressing in a rapid speed. But since, after the PWD got the opportunity the maintenance work of NH-44 is progressing in a very low rate. At present the PWD and some Melarmath big heads are on a race to embezzle the funds provided by the central government for the welfare of the state, said a highly placed source in Melarmath.The source further mentioned that, it was a preplanned mission of some ministers of the state that how to snatch the maintenance work of NH-44 from BRO and to handed over it to PWD.

Because when the maintenance work of NH-44 was under BRO the big heads of Melarmath and some ministers of the state were unable to embezzle the funds provided by the central government for the maintenance work.

 Now there is no one to stop the big heads of ruling from embezzling the central funds and increasing the CPI (M) party fund, the source added.

According to sources, the National Highway- Dharmanagar to Panisagar, Jirania Block Tri-Junction, Champaknagar, Dolubari, Kumarghat to Pecharthal and Chandraipara have become very dangerous. "The condition of the NH- 44 is such a bad shape in some spots, it could be snapped anytime", the source added.

The deplorable condition of National Highway 44  the only road connectivity that links mainland India with the eastern part of Meghalaya, Barak Valley in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura  has for a long time now remained a harrowing experience for helpless commuters.
The present road turns from its original shape into a muddy or dusty road, depending on whether it is sunny or rainy, and the commuters have no option but to travel through this long stretch of “jumpy bumpy” road full of potholes and boulders, at times risking their own life, while on other occasions, putting their lives and safety in the hands of the driver.
The National Highway was handed over to the NHAI by the State PWD, which raised hopes among the commuters that their troubles would soon be over. But the hope became their nightmare as the condition of the NH-44 is getting worse day by day. After taking over the charge of maintenance the PWD is not working up to the mark, a section of people said.

In the year 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared the NH-44 to be converted into four-lane. Later, the MoRTH revised the plan and announced that the NH-44 would be double-lane in the first phase. However, work to face lift the state's life-line has not been started yet.