Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 25 2010:
Centre has chalked a project costing Rs 360 crore for improving NH-53 targeted to be completed 2013 even as UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi assured to put up the matter to the level of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other ministries concerned.
Sonia Gandhi had given the representatives of Women's Development Organisation Manipur (WODOMAN) led by its president L Phajabi an audience with her residence in New Delhi on August 23 last.
During the visit in the national capital, the team also held a meeting with Union Home Secretary GK Pillai.
When the team had an audience with Sonia Gandhi they lodged a complaint on the present deplorable condition of NH-53 with some photographs of badly dilapidated road sections.
She heard patiently to the revelations of the team and assured to bring the matter to the level of Prime Minister Home Minister and other concerned, Kh Sheityajit, social worker, who was part of the team said.
The team also met with the Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai.
In the meeting Pillai produced a Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared by the Central government for NH-53 to show them what the Centre is doing to develop NH-53, as an all season route.
Pillai said that Centre is trying its best to improve the NH-53 as all-season road with double lane.
The Centre has earmarked Rs 360 crore for the work including repairing week and old bridges on the stretch of the highway.
Border Road Organisation (BRO) will continue to handle the work which will be completed within the next three years, that is, by 2013, the team was reportedly assured by Pillai.
Both Sonia Gandhi and GK Pillai also agreed to consider to the construction of a community hall and two places of worship at Sibilong or at a nearby proper place for convenience of passengers on NH-53 .
The team also submitted a memorandum to Sonia Gandhi with a copy each forwarded to General Secretary of AICC, Rahul Gandhi and Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai.
In the memorandum, WODOMAN mentioned activities which had taken up by the body for improvement of NH-53 in the last five years since 2005 when normal plying of vehicles on the Imphal-Dimapur section of NH 39 became frequently disturbed.
The lengthy memorandum also mentions the present condition of the highway charging that the government of Manipur has failed disappointingly as far as steps to improve the national highway are concerned.