NH 28 (b) full of potholes, ditches in 6 km stretch

Speed Post News Network

Bagaha: NH 28 (b)  is so full the potholes and ditches in a stretch of about 6 km from Madanpur to Uttar Pradesh (UP) border in West Champaran district that calling it a road that too an NH is a misnomer. It has become dangerous for both pedestrians and vehicle riders with accidents taking place frequently. It was macadamized  a decade back.

The locals joke that one who survives driving on this road, can drive in any part of the country. The old timers say the condition of the road was not as bad till a decade back, when this road was being looked after by the railways. But, after it became NH 28 (b), its condition deteriorated due to  obdurate policy of state Environment and Forest Department (EFD), they say.

The EFD officials say that since about 6km of the  road runs through forests, work on it can’t be allowed without the approval of Union Forests & Environment ministry. But actually, forests land for the purpose of rail cum road link was approved in 1992 itself and about 61 hectare forests land was transferred for rail cum road link and compensatory forest land was also given to the EFD by purchasing land from locals. A fresh no objection certificate (NOC) was given after long agitation by bordering people.

A letter was sent to Executive Engineer National Highway 28 (b), Motihari, by Additional Chief Wildlife Warden Bharat Joti on January 25, 2018, asking him to go ahead with the work on certain conditions but the National Highway Authority of India is yet to start the work.

Madanpur- Paniyahawa NH 28(b) Construction Action Committee will launch an agitation again if the work on the road does not start at the earliest, according to its convenor Gyaneshvar Mahato.