New Delhi (India), September 17 : A delegation led by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi called on Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of Education Pralhad Joshi in the national capital to raise key issues concerning road infrastructure, public safety, and educational development in Bihar's Seemanchal region and parts of Maharashtra.
The delegation included AIMIM legislators from Bihar and Maharashtra, including Bihar Legislative Assembly Floor Leader Akhtar Ul Iman and Malegaon MLA Mufti Mohammed Ismail Qasmi.
During their meeting with Nitin Gadkari, the delegation submitted a representation regarding the proposed Morgram–Malda–Murshidabad–Siliguri Four-Lane National Highway Project. The leaders urged the Union Minister to retain the highway’s originally proposed alignment through Barsoi in Katihar district, with "Zero Mile" at Barsoi.
Expressing serious concern over reports of a potential alignment revision, the delegation noted that bypassing Barsoi would adversely impact regional connectivity, trade, and employment generation in the area.
Owaisi also demanded the construction of permanent reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridges at six vital locations connecting Bihar with West Bengal, along with ten additional ghats across the Barsoi sub-division to resolve chronic commuting hardships faced by residents due to the lack of all-weather river crossings.
Furthermore, the delegation highlighted the plight of commuters travelling towards Mumbai from Malegaon, Dhule, Jalgaon, and adjoining areas in Maharashtra. They flagged safety hazards, including the presence of nearly 100 speed breakers, delays caused by faulty FASTag scanners at toll plazas, poor road and flyover maintenance, and the rising frequency of fatal road accidents. Gadkari was urged to direct the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake time-bound corrective measures.
In a separate meeting with Union Minister of Education Pralhad Joshi, the AIMIM delegation sought the establishment of an Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in Katihar district to impart quality education to tribal and underprivileged students.
The delegation also pressed for the comprehensive development of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Centre in Kishanganj, Bihar. They submitted a memorandum urging the early sanction of 29 teaching posts, the resolution of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) restrictions stalling campus construction, and the immediate release of the pending ₹90 crore out of the allocated ₹100 crore corpus.
The leaders stressed that the Kishanganj Centre should be upgraded into a full-fledged university equipped with adequate faculty, modern laboratories, libraries, and hostel facilities to bolster higher education and drive socio-economic growth in the region.
The visiting delegation also comprised Bihar MLAs Sarwar Alam, Mursheed Alam, Tauseef Alam, and Ghulam Sarwar, along with AIMIM Bihar State Youth President Adil Hasan.