Khanduri slams Centre for releasing inadequate funds to BRO

Former Chief Minister B C Khanduri today slammed the Centre for its alleged failure to provide adequate funds to BRO for reconstruction of damaged roads in calamity-hit areas of Garhwal region ahead of the Char Dham yatra beginning in April-May.
"Despite being aware of the large scale damage caused to the road network in areas surrounding the four Himalayan shrines, the Centre has not yet released adequate funds to the BRO engaged in repairing the damaged roads," Khanduri said in a statement here.
With the yatra season round the corner, he said it was a matter of grave concern that the Centre had not given adequate funds to BRO which is expected to complete repairing the roads before start of the Char Dham yatra this year.

He said his repeated written reminders in this regard to Union Road Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes in the past had gone unheeded.
However, he said he was happy that Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had finally taken up the matter with the Centre.
After complaining that the Centre had released only Rs 74 crore out of a total of Rs 300 crore needed by the BRO for repair of roads in Uttarakhand yesterday, Bahuguna today met central government leaders in Delhi and requested them to expedite release of the remaining amount to the BRO to speed up road repair work in the rain-ravaged state.