25.25 km Balacherra-Harangjao section of ‘Mahasadak’ costing Rs. 519.3 cr will be completed by 2023: NHIDCL

National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has said that the 25.25 Kilometer stretch between the Balacherra and Harangajao section of National Highway-54 (Extension) aka the Mahasadak or East-West Corridor would be completed by 2023, and the cost of the project is Rs 519.3 Crore.

In July 2021, the National Highway Authority of India had sanctioned Rs 1,824 Crore for 49 Kilometer of Road between Lumding and Silchar, the tender for which was invited in December 2021. On 8th October 2021, Dr. Rajdeep Roy, Member of Parliament, Silchar held a press conference and informed us that he had met with NHIDCL and SUSSI Infrastructure which is looking after the particular 25.15 Kilometers of road between Balacherra and Harangjao. He had reportedly told the authority to complete the work within the winter of 2021.

Dr. Roy had informed that almost 10% of work was completed before the pandemic began, and he set a target to complete 35% of work within December 2021. The work was progressing with 20 pilings per day. He had also informed that out of 96 culverts, 63 had been completed. There was a total of 22 bridges between the 25.15 Km part of the road, of which only three were built, 12 bridges were undergoing construction, and 7 were yet to be started.

Only a 9.77 Km drainage system was accomplished out of 26.1 km. Earlier in December 2020, the Minister for Road and Transport, Mr. Nitin Gadkari had announced that the remaining work of Mahasadak would be completed by 2022, and he would inaugurate it. Now the project has got an extension in its deadline.

National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) informed about the project on their social media handle.

“25.25 Km Balachera-Harangjao section of NH-54 (Extension) with a Total Project Cost of Rs. 519.3 Cr. will be completed by 2023. It is the starting stretch of the East-West Corridor which is a crucial link between the NE Region and the rest of the Nation. #BuildingTheNation @MORTHIndia,” the post read.