Amid the prevailing chaos at the expressway, the district administration has now asked the NHAI to get Central security forces to lift the blockade.

State Home Secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti on Tuesday said, “We have deployed our own police force. We have asked the NHAI to bring their own forces like private security.”

The NHAI, on the other hand, blamed the state government for not cooperating with it in ensuring smooth traffic. The NHAI has shot off letters to the District Magistrate of Hooghly, the Superintendent of Police, state Home Secretary and Chief Secretary urging them to extend cooperation.

On September 1, the DM responded to the NHAI’s letter stating that he did not have sufficient forces and the NHAI in turn should ask the Centre to arrange for forces. The NHAI immediately communicated the contents of the DM’s letter to its Delhi headquarters.

This is a law and order problem and we cannot work without the cooperation of the district police. We are doing it as and when the administration is providing us with required security personnel, said NHAI authorities.

Meanwhile, the NHAI continued with its drive of making it possible for the trucks to move on the expressway. The drive resumed around 7 am on Tuesday morning and it continued throughout the day.

“We have been able to release around 200 to 300 trucks till now,” said NHAI Project Director, Avadesh Kumar.