Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 06 2010:
Vehicular traffic along NH-53 would be halted for five days for repairing the dilapidated portions of the highway.
The State Government took a decision to this effect in view of the little progress made in the ongoing repairing work as the heavy machinery pressed into service are engaged in pulling up skidded or stuck vehicles most of the time.
The PWD Chief Engineer has reported to the Chief Minister that continuous movement of heavy vehicles on NH-53, which was already in deplorable condition, would completely put it out of service.
According to information received from PWD, the heavy machinery sent by the Department to repair the highway could not execute the assigned tasks as most of them were engaged in assisting trucks while crossing slippery or slushy portions of the highway.
Under the existing circumstances, there are no other means to repair the highway.
The Works Department has appealed to the Chief Minister to give at least a week's time for repairing the dilapidated portions of the highway using all available machinery and resources by suspending vehicular traffic during the said period.
In response to the appeal, the State Government has given consent for suspension of vehicular along Imphal-Jiribam highway for five days.
As the trucks currently stranded at Jiribam would be allowed to reach Imphal fast, Imphal-Jiribam route may be closed to traffic from July 11 .
Trucks currently stranded at Jiribam would start leaving for Imphal from tomorrow.
On the other hand, a large number of vehicles are being stranded along the highway due to a huge landslide that occurred near Barak yesterday.
To help in clearing the landslides, two JCB's were sent from Imphal yesterday itself.
The JCB's were sent from Imphal as other heavy machinery already pressed into service along the highway could not approach the spot due to a long queue of double-parking vehicles which have completely blocked the highway.
The Works Department has also appealed to all transporters to do away with double-parking along Imphal-Jiribam highway.
Meanwhile, general manager (design) of the Garden Reach Ship-Builder and Engineering Limited arrived at Imphal today to check the technical flaws of Barak river.
He would leave for Barak tomorrow together with a PWD engineer to inspect the bridge.