Sunk portion of Old Cachar Road yet to be repaired
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 25 2024: The 60 feet long portion of Old Cachar Road, also known as Tongjei Maril which sank in the night of July 30 has not been repaired yet.

The particular portion sank in between Rengpang and Toidangjang on July 30 following heavy rainfall.

Notably, the State PWD is in-charge of Old Cachar Road and the department has sent a team of engineers to study the sunken portion.

The department also announced that the sunken portion would be repaired/restored soon but nothing has been done to repair the particular portion till date.

When there is landslide or sinking of road surface or other disruptions on Kotlen-Irang Bridge section of NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway), trucks usually take Old Cachar Road through Rengpang as a bypass.

Moreover, Old Cachar Road is the only lifeline of around 25 villages including Toidangjang, Chingdimun, Khoupum Valley and Luwanglong.

They procure all their needs from Nungba through the Old Cachar Road.

Dinrei Gangmei, a social worker from Rengpang village told The Sangai Express that the people of the 25 villages have been suffering untold misery after Old Cachar Road was cut off in between Rengpang and Toidangjang on July 30 .

The worst affected villages are Toidangjang, Chingdimun, Khoupum Valley and Luwanglong.

Other villages procure their requirements either from Noney or Bishnupur even though the routes are much longer.

But the people of the four villages have been travelling all the way to Nungba on foot to procure essential items, Dinrei Gangmei said.

He decried that the Government has been taking undue time to repair the sunken portion on the excuse that the road cannot be built in haste.

Pointing out that Old Cachar Road is the lifeline of the people of the 25 villages, he urged the Government to repair the road at the earliest.

Dinrei Gangmei said that it requires herculean efforts to cross the sunken portion with heavy loads like rice, lentils etc.

The routes to Noney and Bishnupur are also very long.

If any person falls sick, he/she is taken to the Nungba CHC on foot, he said.

The people of Mongjrang Khunou are also suffering a lot after a large section of Khongsang-Mongjrang Khunou road (PMGSY) sank near Mongjrang Khunou, he said.

As there is no other road connecting the village to other places, Mongjrang Khunou which has around 1000 inhabitants has been totally cut off from the outside world, Dinrei Gangmei conveyed.

He then urged the Government to look into the matter and take up necessary action at the earliest.

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