State to review NHIDCL's share of highway works
Ukhrul MLA highlights pathetic road stretch
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 24 2023:
Currently the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is in charge of almost 82 per cent of the State's National Highways but it would be reviewed soon.
MLA Ram Muivah highlighted the deplorable state of the Yaingangpokpi-Finch Corner section of Imphal-Ukhrul road in the State Assembly during discussion hour today.
Joining the discussion, Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam noted that good road infrastructure is a prerequisite for economic development of a State or Nation.
Without standard road infrastructure, no State or Nation can ever achieve economic growth, he said.
NHIDCL being a Central agency, construction and maintenance of most of the highways of Manipur were handed over to them (NHIDCL) with the belief that they would be able to execute the road construction works speedily with due emphasis on the qualitative aspect, Govindas said.
The total length of National Highways in Manipur is 1735 Kms and NHIDCL is in charge of 1420 Kms or 82 per cent.
The State Government has held several rounds of meetings at the Chief Minister's level on construction of highways.
At one instance, the Chief Minister pulled up NHIDCL officials for not initiating construction work of a 30 Kms long road on the excuse that 5 Kms was still caught in disputes even though the remaining 25 Kms was free of all kinds of disputes or controversies, the Works Minister said.
The State Government has had enough experience of NHIDCL's working style during the last 3/4 years and the Chief Minister has expressed keen desire to review the share of National Highway works allotted to NHIDCL, he continued.
Now local contractors would be given preference and they would compete with each other to construct and complete road construction works within stipulated periods by properly maintaining the quality of works, Govindas said.
As there were some land disputes and the forest clearance was not granted, tender for construction of Yaingangpokpi to Finch Corner was done in EPC mode.
Thereafter, the work order was awarded to one private company called Bharatha on July 1, 2020 .
The same project should have been completed by June 30, 2022 but the project has achieved little progress so far, Govindas remarked.
Oriental College-Khumbong section of NH 37 is also under the responsibility of NHIDCL and there have been many complaints of health hazards posed by thick columns of dust kicked up by vehicles along the particular section.
NHIDCL is also unable to control the quality of works but being a Central agency, State Government cannot fully control NHIDCL, he said.
A monitoring committee including officials of NHIDCL and other work agencies would be constituted soon to look into different road projects and see that they are completed at the earliest, the Works Minister said.
Saying that no officials of Baratha Private Company came when they were called to a meeting by the Chief Minister and himself, Ram Muivah questioned whether the private company was disrespecting the State Government.
He then pointed out that the Manipuri society is generally courteous and respectful to all.
Saying that the deplorable condition of Yaingangpokpi-Finch Corner section and the thick columns of dust kicked up by vehicles have made the highway unfit for any kind of traffic while people settled along the highway have been facing serious health hazards, Ram Muivah urged the Government to serve show cause notice on NHIDCL and other contractors for the inordinate delay in completing road projects.
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