Keibung clubs against shifting of bridge site
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 18 2023:
A joint meeting of five clubs of Keibung namely KYDC, KWSDO, UYDA, KWA, KMLDA convened on Saturday resolved that the bailey bridge at Keibung should be constructed at the site where construction works had already begun.
Apart from condemning the appeal made through media by LALYC, Leishangthem to stop construction works on the bailey bridge till reaching an understanding, the joint meeting also decided that the bridge must be constructed at the present site, which was also mentioned in the work programme of the department concerned.
According to a joint statement of the five clubs, construction of bailey bridge at Keibung opposite to Keibung Wangmataba LP Madrassa under RIDF scheme-2022 started in March, 2022 by PWD (bridge division) after completing tender process and repeated surveys.
However, the construction work stopped after residents of Khekman protested against mentioning of Khekman Palli in the work order of the project.
After repeated memorandums submitted to the chief minister, local MLA Abdul Nasir along with works minister Govindas Konthoujam jointly inspected the site on July 18, 2022 and gave assurance to Khekman residents that two bailey bridges will be constructed, one at Khekman and another at Khekman-Keibung border (present site).
Accordingly, fresh work programme for the bailey bridge at the present site was made as per instruction of the works minister and local MLA and the official work programme also mentioned the project as 'Construction of Bailey Bridge at Keibung opposite to Keibung Wangmataba LP Madrassa', the joint statement pointed out.
The joint statement further said that construction of the bailey bridge at the present site started after mutual understanding among two communities residing in the area and the present site is at the border of Lilong AC and Thoubal AC.