Pot-holes, dust, pebbles stuff Lamka town
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, November 02 2013 : Filthy and congested are what residents of Churachandpur's Lamka town now think their streets are synonymous with as pot-holes, dust or mud and pebbles choke the mere 3 kms stretch that was the busiest and holds the township's maximum traffic.

As no sign of restoration appears in sight as of now, the people are bracing for another year of living with the filthy roads which has not seen any major repairing in the last couple of years.

The stretch till police point on the north which technically falls under the state PWD fare much better when compared with the portions that falls under BRTF.

Sadly enough, the busiest area of the unplanned township falls under the later.

Pot-hole fillings, that too on a snail's pace taking months to cover the short stretch with much inconveniences to the public as a result of stockpiling construction materials on the road side every 100 meters was all the BRTF has offered so far, lea-ving the erstwhile dark bitu- men once visible on the roads to the pity of dust and mud.

A dilapidated portion of the road

'I am really saddened on the way we were treated.

How did the BRTF think of us...

First they took months to just fill the pot-holes, they then simply dump balu-shingle and recently they did the unthinkable – they used a mixture of balu-shingle and cement to fill the pot-holes again,' said Jamsiam.

He added that cement is supposed to be left untouched for days to get it hardened and how on earth they came up with the idea of using it to fill pot-holes that was run over by vehicles the moment it was grounded.

With the two most crucial stretches, the Tedim Road and Tipaimukh Road having been left on a pitiful note for years, every downpour turned all movement in the town into a muddy affair; and another two or more days of dry-spell left the town covered by cloud of dust, leaving no space for respite from these men made filth.

The lack of town planning has made all activities centered on the major highways only to worsen the situation.

The growing number of Car-washing services that is now visible in every sizable locality is another telling evidence of the filth.

Rain or no rain car owners has to regularly clean their prized possessions of either dust or mud.

A five minute ride on a two wheeler within the town has collected enough dust particulates on the face that can very well be felt with the naked hand.

Besides, the same could pose serious health hazard to the residents.

The version and perspective of an environmentalists and health workers will definitely be different altogether though.

Thus, anyone aspiring to visit the town or planning to shop here have to be contented with their fate of inhaling a share of the dust or to drag their feet along with the mud – or in other words should be prepared to get filthy.