Repair work on a nearly 15-km stretch of National Highway-17 between Satpokhli and Bongra-Raibari via Mirza Chowk in Assam’s Kamrup district is expected to begin by the middle of September, Palashbari MLA Himangshu Shekhar Baishya said.
Baishya said he had approached Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking urgent repairs to the 14.985-km stretch, citing its deteriorating condition and the difficulties faced by commuters.
According to the MLA, Sarma responded to the request and forwarded it to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for necessary action.
“The tender process will begin within the next 10 days and repair work on the stretch is expected to start from the middle of September,” Baishya said in a statement.
The MLA had inspected the stretch on May 9 along with officials from NHIDCL and the Public Works Department. He subsequently wrote to the Chief Minister on July 31, drawing attention to the poor condition of the road and seeking immediate maintenance.
Baishya said the highway serves as a major connectivity link through Mirza town, but substantial portions of the road frequently remained waterlogged because of inadequate drainage. He also pointed out that NHIDCL was already constructing a four-lane bypass and urged authorities to maintain the existing highway until the bypass was completed.
The proposed repair work is expected to improve road conditions and provide relief to commuters using the busy NH-17 corridor between the Mirza area and other parts of Kamrup district.
Baishya thanked Sarma for acting on his request and forwarding it to NHIDCL, describing the move as a response to the problems faced by local residents and commuters.
