Inspecting MSRTC complex
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: January 06, 2014 -

More than the annoyance it must have caused among the people of the State, there is something very 'intriguing' in the manner a Ministerial team led by Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar has inspected the supposedly 4.2 acre land of the now abolished Manipur State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) at Dimapur on January 3.

One can understand that the Ministerial team, which also included MLA of Mao A/C L Dikho, Secretary of Transport Department Laxmikumar, Additional Director of Transport Department BK Sharma, National Highway Additional Chief Engineer Temba, Building Construction Additional Chief Engineer Pradip Mukherjee, engineers and officials of concerned departments, has carried out the inspection in the backdrop of recent media report on encroachment of land and unathorised utilisation of the residential quarters located inside the MSRTC complex at Dimapur from prolonged negligence for its upkeep by the Government of Manipur.

And true to the report, the Ministerial team came across many encroachers constructing buildings or operating vehicle workshops right within the complex while 11 out of the 15 residential quarters already converted into godowns for storing goods by some private individuals after these quarters were leased out by the caretaker/cashier at his own sweet will.

However, the Ministerial team simply returned saying that the Government of Manipur has no immediate plan to evict the encroachers, an official report of the inspection would be submitted to the Chief Minister first and the Government would evict the encroachers after coming up with a proper plan and policy for utilisation of the complex.

This is really surprising.

It is not the first time that a Ministerial team has gone to inspect the condition of the MSRTC complex at Dimapur which was given to Manipur on lease by the Nagaland Government.

In fact, an umpteen number of Ministers concerned, MLAs and officials have conducted similar inspection in the past with the stated objective of finding ways and means of proper upkeep of the complex and optimal utilisation of its assets to generate revenue for the State.

But there has been no improvement in the condition of the complex since MSRTC was liquidated in 2003 or any meaningful utilisation of the complex despite its location in the heart of a fast growing commercial hub of Nagaland all these years.

On the contrary, the prolonged negligence of the Government of Manipur from taking care of its own property has only emboldened the land encroachers and the MSRTC complex has been reduced to a safe haven for unscrupulous elements for minting money.

It is unthinkable how could a caretaker/cashier appointed to look after the MSRTC complex has leased out the residential quarters to private individuals at his own sweet will or without the knowledge of his higher officials.

But this is happening in spite of the fact that even the Government of Manipur is not permitted to lease out the land of MSRTC complex to any third party as per the lease agreement signed with the Government of Nagaland.

It was on account of leasing the land to a third party by the Transport Department after MSRTC was liquidated that the Government of Nagaland nullified the lease agreement and took over complex earlier.

Yet, the Ministerial team led by Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar returned home after inspecting the MSRTC complex without taking up any action against the caretaker/cashier or evicting the encroachers some of whom have constructed not just houses but also church.

Call us nosey, but we find this whole affair so intriguing.