Work on NH 53 nowhere near completion finds inspection team
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 18 2011:
Though the Border Road Task Force (BRTF) has assured the people of Manipur that the works of NH 53 will be completed by 2013, members of the Information Centre for Hill Area Committee, ICHAM, who went on an inspection of the condition of the highway said the that looking at the present condition, it will take years to complete the work.
The team, on September 16 met with officials of the BRTF and enquired on the reasons for the delay in repairing the NH 53 though the work has been going on for the last 50 years.
In reply to the queries of the team, the Commander of the 765 BRTF, Hd Quarters, PN Yadav said that the 220 kms stretch Imphal-Jiribam road (NH 53) will be made into a completely motorable road by 2013.There have been various hurdles in repairing the said road.
Villagers settling along the NH 53 have on various occasions blocked the BRTF from acquiring stones for the construction of the road and stones had to brought in from Assam.
He further said that construction works of the NH 53 which was earlier assigned to local contractors have been further assigned to outside firms namely M/S Gautam Constructions Company and ABCI.
Recently in the month of August the labourers were beaten up by unknown miscreants.
Though no UGs, so far, have directly given any obstruction in the work, some have indirectly obstructed it.
There is no financial shortage for its mending nor are the funds misused by the two Companies from Assam.
The worst part of the highway which has been left unfinished is the area stretching from Kambiron to Kiemai.
The stretch of the road is further worsened by the overloaded trucks plying on the highway.
The repairing work is also further hampered by the prevailing situation of the state.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, N Rajendro, President of ICHAM said that after 50 years of incomplete work carried out by the BRTF on the mending of NH 53, their assurance to complete in just 2 years from now is totally unacceptable.
If the government does not seriously take the matter in hand and proceed with the work wholeheartedly, the completion of the work will never become a reality.
The road condition in Kambiron is worst where one would find oneself embedded in mud upto the waist.
The road has been in this condition for the last many years.
This is very unfortunate.
No labourers of the BRTF were also seen working.
The BRTF has not been able to adjust with the local villagers in the last 50 years.
This will be made known to the state and Central government, he said.
He further enquired about the huge amount of rupees sanctioned for repairing the road.
A CBI probe into the property of the BRTF is required.
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