GUWAHATI, July 22: Devastating floods totally smashed the road network in Assam and according to a conservative estimate, an amount of Rs 510 crore will be required to restore the damages. With the present financial position of the State Government, it will not be possible to completely restore the road network without liberal assistance from the Centre. State Public Works Department (PWD) sources told The Assam Tribune today that more than 3600 kilometres of roads including the National Highways were damaged in the current wave of floods. In fact, about 95 kilometres of the Highways are still under water. According to records available with the PWD, so far about 614 kilometres of National Highways, 132 kilometres of state highways, 450 kilometres of major district roads and more than 2423 kilometres of the rural roads have been damaged and the figure is likely to go up with most parts of the State still reeling under floodwaters.
The floods caused as many as 196 breaches on the road network, which include, two major breaches on the National Highways ? one on the National Highway 31 at Banekuchi in Nalbari district and one on the Pathsala-Bhutan Highway. The other major breaches include eight on the State Highways, 23 on major district roads and 163 on the rural roads. PWD sources said that two RCC bridges, 438 timber bridges and 230 culverts were damaged, while, two RCC bridges, 34 timber bridges and two culverts were completely washed away by floodwaters.
PWD sources admitted that it would take a long time to restore the damages caused by the current wave of floods. However, the PWD employees are working round the clock to restore the main roads to ensure movement of relief materials in the places where the floodwaters are receded. The State Government is also getting cooperation from the Army for the restoration of the road links and the Army has so far taken up construction of eight bailey bridges. One such bridge on the National Highway 31 was opened for traffic yesterday and the PWD has also constructed a sub-way for movement of small vehicles. The Bailey bridge to reopen the road from Barpeta to Howly is likely to be completed today.
Sources said that the PWD would be able to make an exact assessment of the damages only after the water level recedes and ?we can start restoration and repair works after the water level goes down,? sources pointed out. Sources also said that a Central team is expected to visit the state shortly to assess the flood situation and the State Government would give a detailed presentation on the damages caused by the current wave of floods. The restoration of the damaged roads and bridges will depend on the availability of funds and the State Government is expecting liberal assistance from the Centre as it is beyond the capability of the State to generate enough funds to restore the damages.
PWD sources admitted that the damage caused by floods to the road network of the State is the worst ever and it would take some time before the damages are completely restored. The timber bridges on the major roads need to be replaced with RCC bridges to withstand the fury of floods and according to an estimate, an amount of Rs 5000 crore would be required to replace all the timber bridges. The State Government has already taken up the matter with the World Bank, Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry and is hopeful of getting a financial assistance from the World Bank for replacing the timber bridges.
Commenting on the collapse of the RCC Bridge on the Hajo-Nalbari road, which was opened for traffic only a few months back, PWD sources said that the design of the bridge was made in the early 1980s and at that time, the flow of water was not much. Sources said that the foundation of the bridge was laid about two decades back and only the top of the bridge was completed recently with financial assistance from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The foundation was not strong enough to withstand the force of water that hit it this year with gushing water from Bhutan coming down with very high velocity. Two decades back no one could predict that water with such force would hit the bridge, sources pointed out.