CM unhappy with BRTF's work on NH-53
PWD's manpower, equipments sent to repair the highway
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 10 2010: Chief Minister, O Ibobi today reportedly chewed up officials of the 756 BRTF and 24-BRTF during a meeting with him to discuss the present conditions of the NH-53 maintained by them.

An official source said that the Chief Minister held around of meeting with top brass of the BRTF responsible for maintaining the NH-53 in a follow up to a detail report of the condition of the highway by works minister K Ranjit who inspected the stretch.

Apart from the top officials of the 756 BRTF and 24-BRTF, the meeting convened by the chief minister was also attended by works minister, K Ranjit, PC Lumkunga who is looking after the work charge of chief secretary, DGP, Y Joykumar.

The meeting presided by the Chief Minister, O Ibobi started at 2 pm and discussed the conditions of the NH-53 giving emphasis on the portion of the highway from Nungba to Jiribam where the maintain works is handled by the 756-BRTF.

Works Minister K Ranjit,Transport Minister L Jayentakumar, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board, Bijoy Koijam, Chairman, Manipur Pollution Control Board, E Dwijamani, Chief Engineer, PWD and other officials concerned on inspection visit of National Highways

While chewing up the BRTF officials, Ibobi also threatened to bring up their negligence attitudes to the Union ministry of surface transport.

In reply, officials of the BRTF put down fund constraint as behind the unable to maintain the highway portion.

They reportedly said that the coming of railway line has resulted in the fund shortage.

The responsibility of maintaining the NH-53 is for the BRTF.

Fund constraint not related with the state government.

State government was not intimated about the fund constraint, the Chief Minister replied arguing that the neglected attitude of the BRTF is like disrespect of people of the state.

After the meeting concluded that, works minister, K Ranjit who arrived at Imphal last night with his entourage minister, MLA and PWD officials immediately sent officials and personnel of the state PWD to repair the highway.

A source of the department said that as per instruction from the minister, two dozers, two JCP and tippers have been sent to clear mudslide occurred at Tupul area on the stretch of the NH-53 and to allow safe passage of the vehicles.

The mud clearance works is expected to complete by tonight.

After completing the mud clearance works at Tupul, the PWD team will proceed further on the stretch and takes up clearance work in other landslide areas.

The bridges will be improved to have carrying capacity of 30 tonnes at a time.

Today's meeting convened by the Chief Minister also decided to take up repairing works of the NH-53 with state fund joining together with the BRTF.

The meeting unanimously agreed to take join initiatives in making the highway a deplorable one.

The portion from Jiribam to Barak of the Imphal-Jiribam section of the NH-53 has been handling by the 765-BRTF since 1968 while 24-BRTF is responsible for maintenance of the portion from Barak to Imphal upto in front of Oriental College.

Union ministry of surface is providing funds for maintenance of the highway from time to time through the BRTF.

Except looking after the quality control and progress of the maintenance works, state government could not intervene in other works in the maintenance.

On the other hand, Union ministry of surface transport is keeping restrictions in releasing funds as they have the report of submerging some portion of the highway under water when the Tipaimukh dam comes up and realignment of the highway is necessary with regard to the matter.