Land acquisition delays highway work
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 18 2018: Even though the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sanctioned Rs 1600 crore for development of Imphal-Moreh highway in 2015-16, the highway project has just started.

Notably, Imphal-Moreh highway is a part of Asian Highway I which would connect Japan with Turkey through many ASEAN countries, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Pakistan etc.

The amount of Rs 1600 crore sanctioned by ADB was meant for development of Lilong-Kongkhang section of the Imphal-Moreh highway as a four-lane standard highway.

Although it has been two years since the necessary amount was sanctioned, the highway development work has just started, that too only on Pallel-Kongkhang portion.

One major factor for inordinately delaying the highway project was the Government's failure to strike an agreement with land owners regarding land compensation.

As for Lilong-Wangjing portion, a fresh tender is being processed after a tender held earlier was cancelled as the State Government could not hand over land necessary for highway expansion to the implementing agency (NHIDCL) .

Moreover, the highway project cannot be taken up in Wangjing-Pallel section too as the original work undertaken by PWD has not been completed, informed a source.

The existing width of tarmac of the Lilong-Kongkhang section is seven metres and this should be expanded to 10 metres.

However, at congested places like Lilong market, Wangjing market etc, the highway would be extended up to 30 metres so as to reduce chances of accidents and ease traffic flow.

Moreover, the highway would be equipped with service lanes at these points, said the source.

Whereas the authorities concerned are still unable to take up the highway project in full swing, traffic volume on Imphal-Moreh highway has been rising considerably which has led to more cases of road accidents.

Within the current year, there have been 29 cases of road accidents in the highway section which is under the jurisdiction of Thoubal Police.

While six people were killed in these road accidents, 45 were injured.

There were 23 cases of road accident along the same highway this year within the jurisdiction of Lilong police station in which three persons were killed and 20 were injured.

Under the jurisdiction of Khongjom police station, eight people were killed and 26 sustained injuries in road accidents which occurred on -the same highway this year.

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