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Journalism of Courage
Assam8217;s long standing demand for a dedicated security patrol for its highways has finally been met, with two companies of CRPF personnel being appointed for militancy-hit North Cachar Hills District.
8220;Two CRPF companies have been sent off to Cachar where construction work is on. This is a big relief for contractors working there. There have been several cases of extortion threats and militant attacks in the area making it a very difficult working environment for road construction,8221; said a senior official from the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport 038; Highways.
The proposal got the PM8217;s go-ahead for the creation of a special dedicated force drawn in May this year. A security posse of 1,500 personnel is planned for the Assam sector and the funding arrangement for it has been worked out with the National Highways Authority of India NHAI.
8220;NHAI will be provided accommodation for these security personnel and also fund their salaries. So while two companies have already joined duty, another 1,000 personnel will come to assist as soon as the accommodation facilities under construction are ready,8221; added the official.
NHAI has projects worth about Rs 6,000 crore, stretching across 678 km in Assam, and is currently in the thick of construction activity of around 200 km for four-laning.
The East-West corridor under NHDP phase II that is to connect Silchar in the northeast to Porbander in the west starts from Assam and is particularly giving NHAI a tough time with just 1-3 per cent progress reported across some 27 contracts handed out in 2005-end. The situation in northern parts of Assam has been alarming with the attack on a construction camp last December. Eleven railway personnel were also killed in the same area in October 2006.
