Road to Sekmai bottling plant closed in protest
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 01 2023:
Peeved over the non-maintenance of the 1 Km long road stretch which leads to Sekmai Gas Bottling Plant along Imphal-Dimapur road, locals of Awang Sekmai Nongthonband have closed the road.
One of the locals who is an executive member of Awang Sekmai Nongthonband Meira Paibi, Maharabam ongbi Esheihanbi said that they decided to close the road as the State didn't take 'our demand seriously' .
"We have been demanding the Government to repair the road which is in pathetic condition with countless potholes," she said.
Claiming that the road was last repaired eight years ago, she asked why the Government is hesitating to commence the repair work.
This road stretch frequented by trucks and other heavy vehicles carrying gas cylinders was repaired in 2014, she claimed.
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Saying that they have been demanding the State Government to repair the road since 2020 and a number of memoranda submitted, Esheihanbi continued that they resolved to carry out the road closure protest from April 1 during the protest held on February 26 last.
As per her, the locals decided to restrict entry to the road stretch as the Government failed to respond to their ultimatum, i.e.commencement of road maintenance work by March 31 .
Countless accidents have taken place while trying to divert from the potholes, she said and added that the locals even repaired the road themselves once.
Such temporary maintenance, however, won't last long as heavy vehicles ply on the road, she reasoned and appealed to the Government to repair the road at the earliest.
"We will continue to mount pressure until the Government repairs the road," she said.