Sluggish pace of border road work irks state government

The road repair work in the hill state is moving at a slow pace. The Border Roads Organisation responsible for road reconstruction has failed to utilise the fund allocated for the purpose.

The road repair work in the hill state is moving at a slow pace. The Border Roads Organisation responsible for road reconstruction has failed to utilise the fund allocated for the purpose.

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According to official figures, in the last three years, the agency has not utilised the allocated fund fully. For instance, in this financial year, it has constructed only 27-km-long road in the state. Funds which are not utilised in the specified period lapse.

The highways in the hills particularly in the Garhwal area were either severely damaged or completely washed away in 2013 floods that killed thousands and destroyed properties worth crores. The BRO was given the responsibility to repair and construct the roads at the earliest. But they have failed to deliver so far.
The state government has often accused the agency for going slow in repairing the roads - the charge which the BRO officials have, however denied.

Surender Kumar, media incharge for CM said: “The BRO should have accelerated the road repair work. Chief minister Harish Rawat had recently met the director general of BRO in this connection and expressed his concern.”
The BRO officials have refused to comment on the issue. However, they said due to technical and administrative reasons, they often fail to achieve the targets.