Repair of Thong Nambonbi almost complete
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 10 2020:
Almost 95 per cent of the repairing works of the historic Thong Nambonbi or the Hump Bridge of Khwairamband Bazar which was taken up by Department of Arts and Culture after a portion of the bridge caved in earlier this year is finished.
Since the initiation of the repairing works, the bridge is being closed to all kinds of movement.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Director of Arts and Culture, Ngangom Uttam said that Thong Nambonbi was inaugurated in 1855 after it was renovated by Maharaja Chandrakirti in 1844 as per Cheitharal Kumbaba, an ancient book of Manipur.
As the bridge is quite old, it started cracking in July 2019 and portion of the bridge's deck caved in on the western end on January 9, 2020, rendering the particular section hollow, he said and added that after the restoration began on April 20 last after due consultation with the Art and Culture Minister L Jayanta Kumar, Superintendent Archaeologist and officials concerned.
Continuing that the hump bridge was constructed using lime powder and black gram, he added that a memorandum has also been sent to Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) to further repair the bridge using the old method.