Patsoi body mulls NH-37 shutdown over sluggish work
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 13 2025: Noting that widening and repairing of the road from Oriental College till Keithelmanbi along the Imphal-Jiribam route (NH-37) being carried out by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is unlikely to be completed by March, Women Development Association, Patsoi Part-1 has threatened to launch road blockade agitation in case the said stretch is not blacktopped within 15 days.

According to Association president Ibemhal, people residing on both flanks of the road have been enduring dust pollution ever since the road project was initiated.

Noting that one Avantika Company successfully bid for the work and entrusted the repair work to Yesh Infrastructure Private Limited, she informed that the latter disappeared after commencing the repair work.

Thus, the president urged the government to look into the repair work, adding that the dust pollution has already claimed a person's life, while others are suffering from respiratory problems.

Meanwhile, an informed source stated that Avantika Contractor (I) Limited had obtained Package-1 work from the NHIDCL to repair 12.6km stretch of the road.

The company was appointed by NHIDCL for the work on July 1, 2021, with March this year set for completing the same.

Yesh Infrastructure Private Limited took up the work under Avantika as a sub-contractor.

Of the 12.6km stretch of road, around 4-5 km from Yurembam till Keithelmanbi has been blacktopped.

As per the report available on the web portal of NHIDCL, the physical progress is around 52.3 per cent, while the financial expenditure is around 47.13 per cent.

Thus, many are questioning whether the work could not be completed due to handing over the task to the lowest bidder by the NHIDCL, the source conveyed.

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