New Delhi, 10 December (HS):

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday that 99 Road Overbridges (ROBs) and underpasses in West Bengal are pending due to lack of cooperation from the state government.

Responding to a question raised by Congress MP Esha Khan Choudhury from Malda South during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said that immediate action was taken on the issue of the ROB related to LC-43 raised by the MP. A team of experts was sent for site inspection on her request, and based on the team’s report, the ROB has been approved. He added that the alignment of the ROB is currently being finalized. Since a National Highway flyover is located about 90 meters away from the proposed ROB, synchronization of design is being carried out to ensure proper coordination between both structures.

The Minister informed the House that a total of 99 ROBs, flyovers, and underpasses are pending in West Bengal for various reasons, with lack of cooperation from the state government being a major cause. He said that 41 projects require the state government’s final approval on alignment. Fourteen flyovers are awaiting clearance of their final drawings from the state government. Twenty-seven ROBs and underpasses are pending due to lack of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the state. Ten projects have been delayed due to incomplete land acquisition by the state government, while seven flyovers/underpasses are stalled due to law-and-order issues.

The Minister said the MP’s concern is valid, but it is not possible to give a specific timeline for project completion because progress depends on approvals from the state government. If the state extends cooperation, work can be expedited, but under the current circumstances no definite timeline can be assured.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar