Transporters resolve to stay off Barak Bridge
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 03 2015: Expressing strong dis-approval against the way BRO has been repairing Barak Bridge, the Drivers' Union has resolved that they would never cross the bridge even after it is fully repaired.

Meanwhile, truck owners have decided not to send trucks on Imphal-Jiribam highway (NH 37) unless the floor of the bridge being made by steel plates are replaced by wooden planks and wooden runners are installed.

An official team led by Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, Additional Chief Secretary O Nabakishore, PWD officials, repre- sentatives of truck owners and drivers made a field inspection of the Barak Bridge being repaired by the BRO yesterday.

But no responsible BRO officers were found at the work site.

All Manipur Road Transport and Motor Workers Union president S Manglem and secretary M Anil who were members of the inspection team told media that the Barak Bridge broke down three times after it was re-constructed because of faulty technical design.

Apart from making the floor of the bridge with steel plates, no wheel guards were installed.

During raining season, all vehicles had their wheels muddied on reaching Barak Bridge.

The muddy wheels became very slippery while crossing the steel plates and one truck slipped and hit the side bar.

This made the Barak Bridge slanted and inaccessible till date.

This bridge is still risky, they said.

Oil tankers and LPG bullets may catch fire and fall into the river resulting in fatal casualties when crossing the Barak Bridge which has no wheel guards and whose floor is made of steel plates.

If wheel guards are installed on either side of the bridge, trucks and oil tankers would move on Imphal-Jiribam highway otherwise there would be no movement of trucks on the highway even if the Barak bridge is fully repaired.

They further decried that the Works Minister could not exert much pressure on the BRO officials in order to complete the bridge repairing work expeditiously during yesterday's inspection visit.

Echoing the same apprehension, Manipur Truck Owners Welfare Association (MTOWA) president H Ranjit asserted that the steel plates which make the floor of the bridge should be replaced by wooden planks and wooden runners should be installed if transporters must travel along Imphal-Jiribam highway.

Unlike Makru Bridge, there are no wooden planks nor wheel guards on Barak Bridge.

As such, it is quite risky for oil tankers and LPG bullets to cross Barak Bridge for there is a strong possibility of the vehicles catching fire in case their tanks crash or collide with the bridge.

Given these risky conditions, transporters/drivers decided to stay off Barak Bridge, Ranjit said.

Comment