Surface connectivity and economic development
— Dwaipayan
In an era of free economy and information technology (IT), improved infrastructure, a sound effective network of roads, highways, air and rail connectivity, as one is conscious of, can only make a relatively violence free region/state a major destination of economic activities. Once it becomes so, its wheel of development will automatically move faster than ever before. But then, there may not be a rapid turn-around in its current state, a day too soon, that is its economic growth rate may not increase as fast one’s expection if the state/region continues to be bereft of an upgraded communication network, no matter if it has a result-yielding lucrative industrial development policy of its own or a steady energy supply, or both.It is true that the North Eastern part of our country is not a predominantly agrarian region alone, but also rich in resources such as coal, power, natural gas, crude oil and other petroleum products, which is precisely why the region holds out ample development opportunities by which it can turn itself into one of the most vibrant and resilent economic in South-East Asia. But a major shortcoming is that it still lacks a sound network of roads that can connect not only all key areas of trade and commerce in Asia, but also remote terrains bordering its states where the various insurgent groups have consolidated their bases. This has naturally clogged the process of development and congenial atmosphere that could attract potential investors.Assam, like most of the states in the region, has also witnesses series of militant violence and border clashes indulged in by miscreants. Such incidents considerably disturb the prevailing investment-friendly ambience in the State. Free flow of capital investment can be ensured at least in some measure if the offenders involved in such periodic violence are rabbed and dealt with firmly. This can be possible if there is good surface connectivity between the nearest police stations or camp of para-military forces in the trouble spots. In remote hills or border areas too, police or security personnel can may reach these spots within hours of outbreak of violence and contain it and apprehend the culprits. These areas at present seem to have turned into more sensitive and disturbed region than the rest of the State.With the absence of approachable roads to such areas, miscreants and militants can make anyone the in target at their whims and fancies, or commit any heinous crime conveniently and slip away into the nearby dense forests.There are innumerable instances in the recent past of miscreants and operatives of insurgent groups in this State and from neighbouring ones when they, taking advantage of inaccessible tract surrounded by dense forest, conducted armed attacks on the people and killed them indiscriminatley before vanishing into an unknown destination. Such cases occurred in recent times, one in May last in NC Hills district of the State, and the other at Geleki sector of Sivasagar district bordering Nagaland in June last year..In both the cases, the security forces reportedly failed to reach the areas on time and nab the culprits due to lack of motorable roads. Had there been a sound network of roads, there would not have been recurrence of violence at these vulnerable areas, nor would it have sent wrong signals to prospective investors.Nevertheless, as per a 1995-96 report, Assam’s total length of roads is 33,110 km which include 2,070 km of national highways, 2,177 km of State highway and 28,861 km of other PWD roads. During the corresponding period, the country’s total road length stands at 33,19,644 km (both surfaced and unsurfaced roads, According to another report, Assam’s road length, until a few years ago, was 52.68 km per 100 sq km on average as against the national average of 63 km per 100 sq km. If it is assumed to be true, Assam is just 10.32 km behind the country’s per 100 sq km on average in terms of road length, which can seldom be construed to be too long a stretch left to be covered under its road map. It can be brought under it provided sufficient funds are made available.If one takes a look at the state-wise break-up in the North East of the road length during the period 1995-96, one thing that stands out clear is that Assam’s position on this front is essentially far too better than all other states in the region. According to a survey report published in 2000, Assam is on top of all of them in this sphere. For example, Assam’s total stretch stands at 68,079 km with both surfaced and unsurfaced ones, just 9,500 km less than West Bengal, which is 77,579 km, whereas the total road area of Arunachal Pradesh, whose geographical area is much larger than Assam, being 83,743 sq km, is a mere 10,760 km. Even though Assam’s road length under PWD is much more than that of West Bengal–the former having 28,861 km against the latter’s 12,288 km – WB’s total stretch of roads under state highway is 3,388 km, i,e, 1,211 km more than Assam’s. Therefore, this cannot be the reason for complacency for Assam because it is still under-developed economically for being hamstrung by two damaging factors: its locational disadvantage and sensitive, strategic border. To get over this problem of underdevelopment, bringing more and more areas phase-wise, if not at one go, under the State’s existing network of roads is all the more important, which in returns can contribute a great deal in not just ensuring steady flow of capital investment, but also increasing the volume of cross-border trade which is the spirit of the mud-vaunted “Look East Policy”.But then, construction of roads in Assam is not only difficult but also much too expensive compared to many other states outside the North East. With the State falling under seismic and heavy rainfall zones, its soil quality is much too soft to favour an all-weather road instead of a fair weather one which is purely ephemeral in nature. As a result, when construction work is started, it takes several years to be completed. This apart, the cost of construction of even a fair weather road which is made of soil and stone, not to speak of an all-weather one that is much more expensive, is also abnormally high because of its locational shortcoming.A couple of years before, Rs 30 lakh was reportedly required for construction of a km of rural road in Assam whereas the same road was built at a much lower cost per km in West Bengal.Road maintenance is a job that also requires adequate funds. Rs 20 crore is much too measly an amount for sustaining all rural and urban roads as well as highways in Assam, but the said amount was sanctioned a few years ago in its annual budget for the purpose, obviously due to dearth of fund. Since Assam is a resource-rich but fund-deficit state, the government can statutable hardly be extending and improving the expected to grant more funds in the coming years for existing expected to grant more funds in the coming years for road network which is far from sound.But for ensuring free flow of resources and capital investment for its accelerated development, funds are to be raised by the government from various sources for the purpose as it is still in a debt trap. It can approach the Centre, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).The North-Eastern Region’s Development Vision-2020 which was approved in the recent two-day North Eastern Council (NEC) session at Agartala is without doubt a unique proposition, a brainchild of the Central Government aimed at addressing wide-ranging issues with regard to all-round development of the region.Among the issues the NE Vision Document is committed to focus on as prioritised areas are development of infrastructure such as road, air and highway connectivity. But there are doubts if it will at all be accomplished by 2020. A major defect is that there is so far no mention of how much money the Centre will release for the purpose in the coming years. That apart, there is also no reference in the document about when the NEC will start development of road connectivity in Assam, or other state. That is why the State Government may embark upon the work in this key area of economy without waiting for the project to start. sOURCE: Assam Tribune Editorial 18.o6.08
