Daltonganj: Palamu BJP MP Vishnu Dayal Ram has urged National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the four-laning of NH 39 and NH 139 and resolve delays, poor maintenance and monitoring lapses affecting his constituency.Ram met NHAI chairperson Santosh Kumar Yadav on Sept 28 and submitted a two-page letter listing about a dozen issues related to the projects. His constituency covers four assembly segments in Palamu district and two in Garhwa district.The MP objected to continued toll collection at Medininagar plaza despite the four-laning work remaining incomplete, saying it had inconvenienced local residents. Civil society activists said cars and jeeps were being charged Rs 70 per trip.Ram also flagged the delay in starting work on a proposed flyover at Dubiya Kharn, where NH-39 cuts across the site of Adivasi Maha Kumbh Mela, held annually on Feb 10 since the mid-1990s.He said stretches of NH-39 and NH-139 passing through Satbarwa, Polpol, Daltonganj, Parwa, Ramna, Nagar Untari and Chhaterpur had remained in disrepair for more than five months, with severe potholes still not repaired.The letter cited the failure to begin construction of a vehicular underpass and a light vehicular underpass at the 165 km and 169 km points on Daltonganj bypass despite earlier assurances from NHAI.Ram alleged poor execution, maintenance and monitoring of the two highways. He said the transfer of six project directors in four months had seriously affected supervision. He also opposed shifting project implementation unit from Daltonganj to Latehar, stating it could slow down the projects.“The NHAI chairperson heard the issues raised by me very patiently and assured to look into the matter without any delay,” Ram said.He also met road transport and highways secretary V Umashankar and briefed him on the need to complete the projects.
