Irate locals block Sawombung to Sagolmang road briefly
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 11 2023:
Miffed at authorities concerned for not repairing Sawombung to Sagolmang road despite repeated appeals, locals blocked the 12 kilometers long stretch for some time today.
The locals along the stretch stopped vehicles and commuters from plying the road at Keibi Awang Leikai from early morning and it affected daily businesses.
Later, the blockade was called off after PWD officials assured the locals to repair the road from January 15.Some of the locals said, this was not the first time they resorted to demonstrations.
They claimed that the authorities concerned and the Khundrakpam Assembly Constituency MLA have been neglecting them for years.
Due to the pathetic condition of the road, many accidents have occurred, they said.
Expressing that they are feeling disappointed and ignored, they said, "We had made repeated appeals and even formed a JAC [Joint Action Committee] to push the demand and protest forward.
We had hoped that with the coming of the new Government, the road will be reconstructed and repaired".
The Government had earlier assured that the road would be repaired/recon-structed.
Now a month has passed and both the Government and the JAC have gone silent with no visible work or action taken up till today.
This is why the locals have decided to block the road today, they said.
Later, after getting reports of the public blocking the road, PWD officers and engineers visited the site and talked with the locals.
After they were given assurance that the road re-pair/reconstruction work will begin from January 15, the locals called off the protest and allowed vehicular movement on the road.