Deadline set to complete NH work
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 12 2025:
Meira Paibis have threatened to block NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway) if the Oriental College-Patsoi section of the highway is not black topped within 15 days.
Together with media persons, Meira Paibis from Oriental College to Patsoi made a spot assessment of the highly dilapidated and dusty condition of the highway section.
With the particular highway section abandoned after completing WBM stage without black topping for a long time, the road has been churning out thick volumes of dust thereby causing serious health hazards to commuters as well as residents alike.
Patsoi Part I Women Development Association president Arambam Ibemhal said that construction of the Oriental College-Patsoi section started in 2021 but it has not been black topped till date.
One Yes Infrastructure Private Limited constructed the particular section on sub-contract under Avantika Company, she said.
With the particular section abandoned incomplete, the section is horribly muddy during rainy season and intolerably dusty during dry season, Ibemhal said.
She then urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to pay special attention to the matter and see that the section is fully constructed and black topped at the earliest.
If the highway section is not black topped within 15 days, local clubs and Meira Paibis would be compelled to close the highway, she said.
Earlier, a team of MLAs led by the Works Minister inspected the section and instructed the concerned contractor to complete the highway construction work at the earliest.
Following the Minister's instruction, a contractor from Thangmeiband started construction of the highway for a short distance.
But it was again left incomplete and the contractor cannot be seen these days, Ibemhal said.
Along with the highway section, some culverts within the same section have also been left incomplete, thereby causing lots of difficulties to commuters and making the particular section highly vulnerable to road accidents, she said.
Avantika Company was awarded the project of constructing the highway from Oriental College to Keithelmanbi, covering a distance of 12.6 Kms, and the highway construction work started in July 2021, she said.
As per the contract, the highway construction work should be completed by March 2025 .
Yes Infrastructure Private Limited which executed the highway construction on sub-contract is a firm belonging to one Y Sanjiv of Thangmeiband, Ibemhal said.
Although the highway construction work started in July 2021, only 4-5 Kms have been black topped till date which means around 7 Kms have not been black topped, she decried.
However, as per a report shared on NHIDCL's website, 47.13 per cent of the total amount sanctioned for the particular work has been released to the contractor, she added.