Calcutta, Dec. 13: Bengal tops the list of states where work on national highways has been delayed because of land acquisition trouble, Union minister K.H. Muniappa said today.

“Owing to this problem, work that should have been over in two and a half years is taking ages,” said the minister of state for surface transport, shipping and highways.

At the Indian Road Congress in Salt Lake, Muniappa said it was the state’s responsibility to settle land acquisition disputes, but did not blame the government only. “People should also realise that unless road connectivity is ensured, economic prosperity won’t happen,” he said.

PWD department sources said the expansion of NH-2 was stuck in Panagarh as was the broadening of NH-34 in Kharagpur because owners would not part with their land near the roads.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was at the same event, blamed the Opposition. “It’s unfortunate but then... we are trying to sort out the problem,” he said.