Bengal approves transfer of 7 highway stretches to NHAI, NHIDCL to fast-track projects

The West Bengal government on Saturday gave in-principle approval for the handover of seven stretches of national highways to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), clearing the way for long-pending infrastructure projects on major road corridors across the state.

The stretches were earlier under the national highway wing of the state Public Works Department (PWD). According to an official statement, the proposals for handover had remained pending for nearly a year despite repeated requests from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

A press note issued by the chief secretary’s office on Saturday said, “Development works on these stretches stood stalled in the absence of a formal handover. With today’s clearance, the central agencies can move forward without further delay.”

Among the stretches handed over to NHAI is the 329.6-km NH 312 corridor connecting Jangipur, Omarpur, Krishnagar, Bongaon and Basirhat up to Ghojadanga along the India-Bangladesh border.

The state has also handed over NH 31 from the Bihar-West Bengal border to Gazole, and NH-33 up to Farakka.

Four other stretches have been transferred to NHIDCL, including the Sevoke Army Cantonment-Coronation Bridge-Kalimpong-West Bengal-Sikkim border route under New NH-10, the statement said.

The other corridors include the Hasimara-Jaigaon stretch up to the India-Bhutan border, the Baradighi-Mainaguri-Changrabandha route up to the Bangladesh border, and the Siliguri-Kurseong-Darjeeling hill road.

The state government said the projects on these seven stretches are expected to strengthen connectivity to Sikkim, Bhutan and Bangladesh, while improving links between north Bengal and the Dooars.

The projects are also expected to improve connectivity along the Bihar-Bengal corridor through Malda and Murshidabad and strengthen road links in Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts up to the Bangladesh border at Ghojadanga.

“With these approvals, the state government has cleared the way for the central agencies concerned to commence development works on all seven stretches,” the statement said.

The government described the decision as part of efforts for “coordinated execution of critical national infrastructure projects”.