Re - numbering National Highways not yet on track

Re - numbering National Highways not yet on track

Mangaloretoday News Network

Mangalore, April 1:  It was supposed to be a simple exercise of renumbering all National Highways across India, to be completed by end of February 2010. But, a year down the line, this exercise, which the government claimed to be more scientific than what it was, is struck in a time wrap. So, the popular NH-8 connecting Delhi and Mumbai that should have be renumbered as NH-48 is still NH-8 in official correspondence to date.

A copy of the notification to renumber NH has been published on March 5, 2010 in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary. A ministry note in this regard states existing numbers of NH does not give indication of its location and direction. Therefore, ministry has adopted systematic numbering of NH through above notification. It will indicate the direction of the NH and also the geographical region where the NH Is located.

If and when adopted, the Kolkata-Delhi highway, which is presently NH-2, will become NH-19. Moreover, these primary corridors will also be longer. The NH-17 starting from its junction with NH-48 near Panvel and passing through Goa, Karwar, Udupi, Mangalore, Kasargod, Kannur, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and terminating at the junction with NH-44 near Kanyakumari as per this notification has been renumbered NH-66.

O K Swami, chief engineer, state NH division, Bangalore confirmed to TOI that despite the Gazette publication of the notification of March 5, 2010, all proposals pertaining to these national highways are still being sent as per their current numbers. "We have sent all estimates for development of the NHs as per their old numbers," Swami said. The length and reach of some of the NHs has been increased or shortened in some cases, he added.

The only indication of this change in numbering system adopted by the ministry is the shiny reflector boards put up by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at various places dotting the existing NH-17 passing through this city. "It will take some time for the people and even for us to get used to the new NH numbering system as and when the ministry goes ahead in implementing it," a senior official in NH engineering division said.