Ring Road set to skirt Langol section
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 02 2015 :
Deviating from the alignment already fixed, the Imphal Ring Road would skip an 8 Km long section from Langol Tarung to Langol Thongak Lairembi.
A new alignment of the proposed ring road has been drawn up and the 8 Km long section from Langol Tarung to Langol Thongak Lairembi (Games Village) would be de-linked from the ring road in accordance to the new alignment, informed an official source.
Notably, the JAC Against the Proposed Imphal Ring Road (Tharon to Laimanai) was demanding re-alignment of the road on the ground that it would affect parts of reserved forests and a number of homesteads.
It was in tune with the JAC's demand that a new alignment in which the 8 Km long section has been de-linked.
The remaining length after de-linking the 8 Km long section now constitutes the final alignment of the Imphal Ring Road, said the official source.
However, there is no alternative plan to divert the 8 Km long section to another coordinates.
Yet, there is no problem in implementing the project without the 8 Km long section.
The ADB which is financing the project has no objection whether the road is called Imphal ring road or given any other nomenclature.
Another 200 metres long section at Khabam Lamkhai is being disputed.
Though the matter could not be settled as yet, it is expected that a solution can be worked out very soon as the disputed section is limited to just 200 metres.
A new DPR based on the modified alignment has been sent to the ADB for due approval, informed the official source.
Notably, the Imphal ring road is one of the projects listed under the South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation which are funded by ADB.
Another project where ADB has shown keen interest to invest necessary fund is the Imphal-Kangchup-Tamenglong road.
These two projects would be implemented through the State Government.
But two other projects namely Imphal-Moreh road and Wangjing-Heirok-Khudengthabi road would be implemented through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The total estimated costs for Imphal ring road and Imphal-Kangchup-Tamenglong have risen to Rs 1400 crore from the initial estimate of Rs 1200 crore.
According to the initial arrangement, ADB would finance 80 per cent of the estimated cost while the Government of India will pay the remaining 20 per cent.
But now the ratio (between ADB and Government of India) of financing the projects has changed to 90:10, added the source.