Locals blockade Imphal-Yairipok road
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 11 2013: Along with blocking the Imphal-Yairipok road at Keirao Bitra section of the inter-district route, the locals today burnt effigy of Keirao assembly constituency Karam Thamarjit to protest alleged lack of initiative by the Government to repair the Keirao Bitra road.

The road blockade agitation that began from 4 am today will continue for the next 48 hours, said some of the protestors.

While public transport service was severely crippled due to the agitation, there is no report of violence as Irilbung police station personnel maintained strict vigil at the area.

speaking to newspersons at the protest site, one Takhellambam Joy declared that the agitation demanding immediate repairing of the 3.5 km other district road (ODR) would exempted for personnel involved essential services as well as individuals heading for religious events.

Claiming that for the past 20 years the locals' demand for repairing/development of the road stretch remains unfulfilled by successive Governments and MLAs concerned, Joy further contended the consigning MLA Thamarjit's effigy to flames is to protest the MLA's failure to keep his promise during election campaign that the road would be developed within May-June this year.

Even though initial road repairing work such as laying WBM had been started at the behest of Andro AC MLA Th Shyamkumar there is no sign of black-topping the said road, he stated and alleged that despite repeated reminders the local MLA (Thamarjit) remains indifferent to the people's genuine demand.

Reminding that a similar agitation on April 29 was withdrawn after MLA shyamkumar assured to contribute his mite in the road development work, Joy said absence of Government initiative to complete the road development work amount to ignoring the people.

He also cautioned that MLA Thamarjit would be socially boycotted in case necessary action is not initiated at the earliest.

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