Lok Sabha Question No. 139 (STARRED), answered on 2018-12-19
Subject: North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS)
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: PREM DAS RAI

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA

Starred Question No. *139

To be answered on Wednesday, December 19, 2018/Agrahayana 28, 1940 (Saka)

## Question North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS)

## *139.  SHRI PREM DAS RAI:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of projects under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS);
- (b) the  timeline  of  the  projects  along  with  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to ensure completion of the projects as targeted;
- (c) whether there has been delay in implementation and completion of NERSDS;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the powers and autonomy of the North East Council with regard to implementation of the scheme?

## ANSWER

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

- (a) to (e) A statement is laid down on the table of the house.

## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *139 for answer on 19.12.2018

- (a) North Eastern Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) aims primarily for upgradation of important inter-state roads which were not properly maintained by either of the states due to various reasons.

Three inter-state roads have been entrusted to National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) during 2015-16 & 2016-17 as below:

- i. Tura-Mankachar Road (Meghalaya-Assam).
- ii. Wokha-Merapani Road (Nagaland-Assam).
- iii. Harmuti-Doimukh Road (Arunachal-Assam).

The following two projects have recently been approved:

- i. Bridge over Raman Khola along Naya Bazar Singla Road in West Sikkim for an estimated cost of Rs.15.63 crore.
- ii. Construction of RCC Bridge No.17/1 over river Dhansiri on Udalgiri Bhairabkunda Road for an estimated cost of Rs. 33.62 crore, subject to various clearances.
3. (b) One  project,  Tura-Mankachar  Road,  has  been  completed  and  other  two  are scheduled  for  completion  by  March,  2019.  Further,  the  projects  which  are  recently approved are required to be substantially completed by March, 2020.
4. (c) and (d)     The implementation of the projects initially sanctioned under NERSDS has faced delays which are mainly due to the following reasons:
- i. There was delay in preparation of DPRs & shifting of utilities.
- ii. A  small  stretch  in  case  of  Harmoti-Doimukh  road  in  Assam  required  forest clearance, which also caused some delay.
7. (e) NERSDS  is  being  implemented  by  North  Eastern  Council  (NEC),  which  can sanction  projects  in  accordance  with  the  general  guidelines  approved  by  the  NEC Plenary  and  the  general  delegation  of  financial  powers  to  them.  An  Inter  Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, NEC with members from M/o DoNER, MHA,  MoRTH  and  MoF  has  been  constituted  to  oversee  the  implementation  of  the projects under the scheme.

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