Ranjit rolls up sleeves for Trans-Asian Highway
Moreh ADC office date set in July
Source: The Sangai Express

Moreh, May 21 2011: While informing that steps are being made to inaugurate the newly constructed office complexes of ADC at Moreh and Kangpokpi in July, Works Minister K Ranjit has appealed to all concerned against causing any sort of disturbances in the efforts of the Government to develop the stretch of National Highway 39 from Mao to Moreh, which would ultimately become a part of the Trans-Asian Highway.

A Ministerial team led by Works Minister K Ranjit today inspected the developmental works being taken up along the stretch of NH-39 from Imphal to Moreh and took stock of the progress of the construction work at the ADC office complex at Moreh.

Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly I Hemochandra, Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board Bijoy Koijam, Chief Engineer of PWD Lokendro and other officials of the Department were part of the Ministerial team.

Talking to mediapersons after the inspection, Ranjit observed that construction of Mini-Secretariats and ADC office complexes have been taken up by the Government to ensure effective administration from one place.

Works Minister K Ranjit inspecting road condition of the Imphal-Moreh stretch of NH-39

He said that construction work on most of the Mini-Secretariat complexes in the hill and valley districts, which have been taken up mainly to stop disruptive activities of armed UG groups on the developmental works of the Government, are nearing completion.

In fact, the MiniSecretariat complex at Ukhrul district headquarters was inaugurated by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram during his recent visit to Ukhrul.

Process is also underway to inaugurate the Mini-Secretariat complexes being set up for Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong district as well as construction work in Thoubal and Bishnupur are almost complete, the Minister disclosed.

Construction work on ADC office complexes of Jiribam, Kangpokpi and Moreh, which are also being taken up with an eye on enhancing administration of Imphal East, Senapati and Chandel district are also nearing completion and steps are being taken up to inaugurate the ADC office complexes of Kangpokpi and Moreh by July, the Minister informed.

On the condition of Imphal-Moreh road stretch of the National Highway 39, Minister Ranjit pointed out that quality control in the development work of the National Highway is essential for increasing not only the ongoing International border trade activities at Moreh but also in due consideration of the fact that it is going to be a part of the Trans-Asian Highway.

The Minister said that neighbouring States like Mizoram and Nagaland have been lobbying with the Centre for taking over the International Border trade which is currently going on from Moreh and setting up them within their respective territories.

If the lobbying succeeded, Trans-Asian Highway would not pass through Manipur.

So, to ensure that the International border trade and the Trans-Asian Highway stay in Manipur, all the people should extend their co-operation to the Government of Manipur in developing the National Highway 39 .

The Ambassadors from South Asian countries who have recently visited Manipur have noted that development of National Highway 39 would be most suitable for enhancing the border trade activities, the Minister recalled.

Pointing out that the distance of the National Highway 39 from Mao to Moreh is 121 km, the Minister informed that of the 71.40 km long road stretch between Kakching Lamkhai and Moreh, whose condition is still deplorable, development work from Tangjeng to Moreh has been started and the Centre has sanctioned around Rs 90 crores for the purpose.

The Minister assured that the quality of the road development work to be taken up along this stretch would be controlled just like the road running through in front of Raj Bhavan, Chief Minister's bungalow and Singjamei.

The construction work along the road stretch from Kakching Lamkhai to Moreh has already been started by M/s Aventika, which is an agency based outside Manipur, along with sanctioning Rs 40.75 crores while the development work along the remaining road portion has been completed, the Minister informed.