Old Cachar Road lies abandoned, neglected
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 25, 2012: Notwithstanding the announcement made by none other than Prime Minister Dr.Vlanmohan Singh to develop Old Cachar Road (Tongjei Maril) to a standard all-weather road, the condition of the road is only worsening.

This was discovered during a field trip made by this reporter together with representatives of some civil organisations today.

The team made a direct assessment of the road which occupies a prominent place in the history of Manipur.

The field inspection covered a distance ofaround 30 Kms from Wairok village, near Bishnupur till Nungleiband.

The road was seen lying in the most pitiable condition starting from its zero point till Zoujengtak which is a distance of 20 Kms.

Large potholes, puddles, mud, slush and worn out culverts mark the road throughout the said section.

At some point, water in large puddles was flowing in the middle of the road as if the road was some sort of a drain or a canal.

Zoujengtak village is located at a very strategic point having links to three directions.

To its left lies Rengpang via Khoupum from where one can reach Cachar along NH 37.To the right lies Thangal village, the site for Loktak Downstream Project.

10 Kms from Zoujengtak lies Nungleiband village, sitting on the bank of Leimatak river.

To reach Khoupum from here, one has to traverse a distance, approximately equal to the distance between Bishnupur and Nungleiband.

One is almost at Rengpang if one comes across Toudaijang village after crossing Irang river from Khoupum but one has to travel either in Shaktiman truck or jeep for no other vehicle can negotiate along these treacherous sections of the Old Cachar Road, said one Nungleiband villager.

When one is not sure about completion of NH 37 development work by 2013, it would not be any easy task to initiate the Tongjei Maril Project at such juncture.

Nevertheless, all the villages located along side the road have one common wish, that is to develop the historic road to the level of a modern highway.

"The condition of the road from Khoupum to Toudaijang is even worse and security situation is not at all assuring.

Moreover, it would be quite late when you reach Toudaijang", he told the team.

Taking the words of the villager, the team turned back from Nungleiband.

Notably, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh whilead-dressing a public gathering at Imphal on December 3,2011 declared that the Centre had agreed in-principle to take up Old Cachar Road project.

It was a re-assertion of the statement he made on December 2,2006.

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