MTDC seals contract to build bridges, roads in Myanmar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 19 2018: The Manipur Tribal Development Corporation (MTDC) has sealed a contract for construction of 69 bridges between Tamu Kyigone and Kalewa in Myanmar and a 149.5 Kms long road.

Speaking to media persons at the Moirangkhom DIPR complex today, MTDC Executive Engineer Dolen said that MTDC has been awarded the work of constructing 22 minor bridges, 45 major bridges, two long span bridges and a 149.5 Km long road between Tamu Kyigone and Kalewa in Myanmar.

The road and bridges would be constructed in Engineering Procurement Construction (EPS) mode with funds provided by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

MTDC seals contract to build bridges, roads in Myanmar

The MTDC has been planning to start the construction works from the first week of May this year and the total estimated cost of these projects is Rs 293.50 crore.

Design, survey and soil testing works are going on at present, said the Executive Engineer.

Informing that these projects would be executed in EPS mode as a joint venture together with the Mumbai based Niraj Cement Structural Construction Limited, Dolen claimed that MTDC will execute other construction works in Manipur and other North Eastern States in EPS mode.

For this, the corporation is at the stage of preparing DPRs.

MTDC Managing Director Joseph Pauline said that MTDC is a public undertaking of the Government of Manipur and it was set up in 1979 under Companies Act 1956 .

MTDC is an autonomous corporation which functions under the Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills.

The main task of MTDC is socioeconomic alleviation of the ST and SC people of Manipur.

Major civil construction works of the State Government's departments and Central Government organisations are executed by MTDC and it is one of the oldest corporations of the State Government's public undertakings.

During the past two/three years, MTDC executed different works, of both the State Government and the Central Government amounting to Rs 720.34 crore approximately, Joseph Pauline said.

11.75 per cent of the cost of all these projects is entitled to MTDC as agency charge.

Out of this 11.75 per cent, 8 per cent is accrued to the State exchequer while the remaining 3.75 per cent is used in paying salaries to staff and other requirements.

Saying that none of the structures constructed by MTDC were damaged in the earthquakes which shook the State on January 4 and April 13 of 2016, Joseph Pauline asserted that the corporation executes all projects with due emphasis on the qualitative aspect.