Post inauguration scenario : Completion yet to see light
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 10 2011 -

The High Court complex inaugurated recently - Pix :: TSE

After several years in the making, the Assembly complex, High Court complex, Inter-State Bus Terminus, City Convention Centre and the auditorium of the Manipur Film Development Corporation today stand inaugurated.

This is for the record and the inauguration touch was provided by none other than the Prime Minister of the country, with the State Government seemingly sending out the signal that the wait was worth it.

This was on December 3 and while it was with a sense of relief that the people welcomed the inauguration of the swank, modern structures with all the works, questions still remain on when they will actually be thrown open to the public.

Just hours before the plane carrying the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson touched down at Tulihal airport, we carried a story on how the projects lined up for the inauguration do were not really complete in the true sense of the word.

Keeping the unfinished portion of the works under veil was understandable for this what the hosts usually do when guests, especially those with the VIP tags, come visiting but the more important question is keeping the people updated on the exact status of the structures which have already been inaugurated.

The status of the new structures will definitely not fall in the category of sensitive information and it would do a whole lot of good to the image of the SPF Government if a status update can be given, now that the Prime Minister and his men have come and gone.

The Sangai Express has already reported the plan of the Government to have the last sitting of the 9th Assembly at the newly inaugurated Assembly complex though it is not yet completely ready.

So far this is the only thing that the people know about the present status of the newly inaugurated structures. For all the pomp and show that marked the day on December 3 and for all the round the clock work that preceded December 3, the Inter-State Bus Terminus today stands off limit to the general public.

Buses continue to be parked on the western side of NH-2 along the eastern gate of DM College. Turning the side of a National Highway into a parking lot can be understood in the backdrop of the unfinished work of the ISBT, but the question is how long this practise will go on.

The Centre has already agreed to the proposal of the State Government to open a High Court for Manipur and while this is something that has been in the offing for some time, it is significant to note that the go ahead signal was given after the Prime Minister inaugurated the High Court complex.

The all important question is whether the High Court complex is ready to hold court now. And if not, then how long it would be before it becomes operational. The same thing goes for the other structures which were inaugurated amid much hype.

The priority before the Government should be clear. It has already taken years for the said structures to see the light of the day. Now that the Prime Minister has inaugurated them, there is all the more reason to put in that little bit of extra effort to throw them open to the public.

Or is it a case of calling it a day now that the much anticipated visit of the Prime Minister and Madam Sonia Gandhi has come and gone ? The State Government has done its bit of rolling out the red carpet to the high profile dignitaries, now is the time for them to turn their attention to the people.

Or if it is going to take some more time before these newly inaugurated projects can be opened and made functional, then their status reports should be spelt out clearly to the public.

An interesting point that comes to mind is what name the State Government will give to the functions when the time to open the new projects come.

It may in the fitness of things to remind the Government that all roads, repeat all roads that lead to RIMS are in shambles and the much talked and hyped 5 days ultimatum given by the Chief Minister to the Works Minister has come and gone. The question is when will RIMS road, the one that runs along Lalambung be completed.

Or does this not feature on the priority list since no high profile dignitaries will be compelled to traverse along the roads that take one to RIMS and Lamphel ?