State roads and undelivered promises
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 12, 2011 -

THE AUTHORITY has been continuously promising to improve the condition of NH 39 and the various roads in the state graded under different categories.

The roads may be quite different from one another in terms of dimensions and importance but they all suffer from the same disease, the disease of utter neglect.

Unfortunately, so it seems, the authority vested with the power and money to maintain and improve these roads is itself suffering from a malady, the malady of a foot in mouth reaction and the pathological tendency to make tall promises. But one cannot live on promises, particularly empty ones.

This was realised early on by the colonel's wife in the fictional short story 'Nobody Writes to the Colonel' written by Gabriel Marcia Marquez. The colonel keeps expecting a pension amount promised by the government, but it remains what it is, just a promise.

The wife, however, being more practical is getting panicky about the depleting financial resources and keeps pestering the colonel of what they are going to eat once their reserves gets cleaned up. The proud colonel finally realises the gravity of the situation and replies, though with indignation, that they would have to eat crap.

Our cue? Well we have to accept that insincere promises form part our political culture. Perhaps those in authority should be taken on a tour just to see for themselves what sort of commitment is being made by other NE governments in developing infrastructure and road connectivity.

And the common man? Well, whenever someone comes to make an empty promise, the general populace should unitedly holler 'Help! We are being promised development yet again.'

The part of NH 39 we are really interested in is the Mao-Moreh section. From Kangpokpi to Pallel the highway can be kept up to international standards and no excuses should be acceptable.

The major state highways too deserve full attention. The quality of all state highways linking the district HQs with Imphal are below expectation. And the Imphal-Tamei roadway should be showcased to present the ill effects of insincere promises.

One wonders why a PIL has not been filed so far. Apart from the Thoubal stretch on NH 39 everything else is basically sub standard. What is worrying is, the authority does not even flinch when news reports carry stories of how locals in a given area have taken to road repair works at their own cost. This is an out of the world experience.

To give him his due it seems it is just the CM who is keen to deliver the goods and on time. It is perhaps best that he sees to it that the quality of roads, and road connectivity in the state in general, see a visible change for the better by this year end.

An effective system of basic education, a working health care system, access to safe drinking water and a decent road network should be the priority of any government, at the national level or the regional level, particularly in the underdeveloped regions of the world.

The general election is around the corner, if only to safeguard vote banks our leaders owe the people provisions of at least the basic amenities needed to eke out a living.