Blacktopping along Keishampat-Malom Road uncertain
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 01 2014 :
The State Government may have completed black topping work along Keishampat-Wahengbam road after evicting several residential houses along the road and spending crores of rupees on paying compensation to owners of the houses but for reasons best known to it alone, the Public Works Department (PWD) which was entrusted with the task of blacktopping has forgotten to construct requisite foot path along the said road stretch.
On the other hand, even as a large number of residential houses and shops along Keishampat-Malom road (NH-2) have been evicted to broaden the road for free passage of vehicular movement, it is most likely that the said road stretch will remain without black topping for a long time as the Ministry concerned has not yet sanctioned the required fund for blacktopping.
According to reliable sources, the Keishampat-Wahengbam Leikai road which connects Maharani Bridge also known as PWD Road is a State Highway.
The widening of the road was done after dismantling several residential houses nearby it.
Moreover, black topping work along the road has been completed.
But most surprisingly, foot path which is very much necessary along a State Highway is still absent.
Experts in this field told Hueiyan Lanpao that construction of foot path in every important road and bridge in the city is necessary.
The foot path should be constructed above 1.6 feet from the road as this will protect a person walking along the path from being hit by moving vehicles.
The sources further said that three bridges along Keishampat-Maharani Bridge road have been already built letting people to reach Paona Bazar side within a short time.
But in absence of foot path along the newly blacktopped Keishampat-Wahengbam Leikai, the construction of the three bridges does not make much sense.
Meanwhile, as the Ministry concerned has not sanctioned the required fund, blacktopping work along the newly broaden Keishampat-Malom road (NH-2) remains uncertain.
A large number of contractors hired by PWD for the work of placing earth along the road have also not been paid a single rupee so far.
After the work for placing earth along the road was started, people are also finding a hard time in passing the road due to dust particles kicked up and the The condition gets worse when rainfall hit the area.
With the Ministry not sanctioning fund for black topping, the road will remain in its present pathetic condition for a long time to come.