Guwahati: The World Bank has expressed unhappiness over the tardy progress of the Mizoram state roads project.

The $107 million Mizoram State Roads II Regional Transport Connectivity Project, sanctioned in 2014, aims to increase connectivity along regional trade corridors in Mizoram and help open up trade with neighbouring countries. The project will enhance roadlinks of Mizoram and other northeastern states with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

The bank, in its October 18 implementation status report, said: "Considering substantial delays, poor contract management and safeguard compliance, the overall performance rating for implementation progress is kept at unsatisfactory. The project will end in 2020."

It says the team will continue to work with the project implementation unit to closely monitor contractor performance and compliance with safeguards.

The bank says even the progress towards meeting the project development objective is unsatisfactory.

A government official involved with the project said it was trying its best to address the shortcomings.

The midterm review of the project will be held next month.

The two components of the project include improvement of priority cross-border roads and trade-related infrastructure and road sector modernisation and performance enhancement through institutional strengthening.

The first component involves widening and strengthening of 91km roads and preparation studies for approximately 330km roads and construction or improvement of trade-related infrastructure along project roads, including haats (markets) and truck stops. The second will support gradual transformation of the public works department into a modern road agency through implementation of a road modernisation plan which will carry forward and deepen various institutional development initiatives introduced under the project.