Silchar: The first inter-departmental review meeting at the newly operational Barak Valley Secretariat was held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Cachar guardian minister Krishnendu Paul, with roads and major infrastructure projects across Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi dominating the discussions.The five-to-six-hour meeting, convened following chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s direction to make the secretariat fully functional, was attended by housing and urban affairs minister Kaushik Rai, legislators from the three districts, senior officials of line departments and representatives of executing agencies.Paul, who also holds the public health engineering, hill areas and Barak Valley development portfolios, said the progress of ongoing projects, hurdles affecting their execution and measures for their early completion were reviewed. The departments concerned were directed to accelerate work and improve coordination.The projects reviewed included the Silchar-Barapani Express Highway, roads under the Bharatmala and Asom Mala schemes, the Silchar-Churaibari and Kalain-Silchar roads, and the Karimganj bypass-Sutarkandi road via Sribhumi town.Paul said urgent repairs to key roads in Silchar and its adjoining areas would begin before Durga Puja to provide immediate relief to commuters. Comprehensive restoration would be undertaken subsequently, he added.A report on the meeting and the status of the projects will be submitted to the chief minister.
