Works Minister inspects Chandel roads
Points out obstacles
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 07: Works Minister K Ranjit visited Chandel district on January 5 and 6 on a two day inspection tour of the roads and communication infrastructure of the district.

During his inspection tour K Ranjit was accompanied by MLA Thangkholun Haokip and high ranking officials of the PWD.

On the first day, the Works Minister made field inspection of the road from Tengnoupal to Chakpikarong via Joupi and Monpi.

On January 6, the team led by K Ranjit went to Sajik Tampak to assess the condition of roads and bridges of the area.

Works Minister K Ranjit inspecting the roads at Chandel district

At Chakpikarong, the Works Minister addressed a public meeting where he announced that the road connecting Churachandpur with Chandel through Sugnu will be upgraded to the status of a State highway.

He remarked that the road is a crucial one as it connects three districts.

To black-top the stretch of NH 39 from Tengnoupal to New Somtal, amount of Rs 7 crores was sanctioned in 2006-07, Ranjit said.

Another Rs 3.5 crores was also sanctioned during the current fiscal year for development of the same road stretch.

For development of the road from Joupi to Chakpikarong, a sum of Rs 10 crores will be sanctioned under PMGSY, he asserted.

Even as the 12 kms long road from Chakpikarong to Sajik Tampak is being developed under PMGSY, bridges across the road are in a bad shape, he observed while assuring that all the bridges will be constructed anew in line with modern requirements.

Inspite of Rs 24 crores sanctioned during 2004-05 for development of the road from Pallel to Chandel, wrangling for work order among different elements and various other impediments disabled the work to be implemented in time thereby forcing the sanctioned amount to return to the Central Government, disclosed Ranjit.

To finish incomplete portions of the road development work between Chandel and Sugnu,Rs 2.30 crores has been sanctioned.

Road repairing work will begin within this month, he added.

The Works Minister further called upon the people to check whether proper quality is being maintained or not in development works taken up in their area rather than obstructing or disturbing such welfare programmes.

He also asked the people to understand why Government employees have been refusing to stay at their places of postings in Chakpikarong sub-division of Chandel district.

Even though the Chakpikarong Multipurpose Project conceived in 1974 with the estimated cost of just Rs 53 crores had been scrapped, efforts are being put in to take up the project anew under Central Water Commission (CWC) of the Union Water Resource Ministry at an estimated cost of Rs 250 crores.

Speaking at the public meeting, MLA Thangkholun Haokip exuded confidence that the SPF Government led by the Congress party would pay extra-attention in hill districts and bring about some tangible developmental changes in the hills areas.

Noting that Chandel Assembly constituency remains comparatively backward, Thangkholun maintained that employees reluctant to go to their place of posting in Chakpikarong sub-division should either be transferred away or penalised according to law.