Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured speedy action in the release of Rs 300 crores to the Border Roads Organisation ( BRO) for reconstruction of roads damaged during the massive deluge and landslides in Uttarakhand in June last year.
The Prime Minister’s assurance came after Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna apprised him of the anger amongst the disaster hit people at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. “I have persuaded party MLAs planning to stage a dharna in New Delhi for the funds not to do so by assuring them to get justice from you’, Mr. Bahuguna told Mr. Singh.
The Prime Minister was apprised how paucity of funds had led to no work in the reconstruction of 1510 kms of roads under the BRO and 750 kms of roads under the National Highways Authority (NHA).
Mr. Bahuguna opposed the view of the Centre that road repair work be handed over to a public sector organisation saying that the BRO and NHA were best suited for the purpose. Handing over the job to other agencies would lead to avoidable delay that would have an adverse impact on the tourism sector.
Mr. Bahuguna urged the Prime Minister to expeditiously order release of funds as the State wanted the roads in a better shape before the start of the next Char Dham Yatra season.
