Completion of road, drain work in time for PM's visit remote
Reality check from workers at sites
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 26 2011: With possibility of completing the ongoing road and drain construction works within the targeted period very remote a grand plan to deceive the Prime minister and AICC president remains the only option if innocent opinions of construction workers are to be taken into account.

Even though the Congress-led SP Government is leaving no stone unturned to complete various projects ahead of the proposed visit of Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi tentatively scheduled in the first week of December the ground reality as discovered by The Sangai Express today suggests that road and drainage works at some important sites will not be completed in time.

It is pertinent to mention that inauguration of the newly built Assembly Secretariat and High court complexes under the Capitol Project, Inter State Bus Terminus (Chingmeirong) and city Convention Centre (Palace Compound) are some of the development projects, implemented by the O Ibobi Singh Government, included in the itinerary of the visiting Central leaders.

Workers race against time to complete the repairing work of drains

With the duo likely to traverse on the NH-39 route to reach Sangakpham, Lilasingkhong Khongnangkhong or Chingmeirong where the said projects are located, road development and drainage construction works are on in full swing from North AOC to Sangakpham section of the highway.

When queried, construction workers as well as representatives of the contractors conceded that no matter the amount of effort through machine or manpower it would be presumptuous that the pending works could be completed within this month.

They, however, shared a noble idea with which to ensure that VVIPs give top marks to the SPF Government with regard to executing development works at appreciable pace.

In order to present the Highway stretch, which the Prime Minister and AICC chief would travel, in a palatable way all the construction materials currently piled on the roadside would be relocated at alternative sites along with dismantling of the workers' sheds dotting the highway section, they informed.

The construction works will resume at the pending sites as soon as the Central leaders depart, cheerily added the construction workers.

On the otherhand, as a part of beautification of the route which the Central leaders' would travel during their brief arrival in the State, white-washing and glossing activities from Airport Road upto the Raj Bhavan traffic point, Kanglapat road, North AOC, DMC College Road, Dingku Road, Lilashing Khongnang Khong etc are in full-swing including many labourers pressed into service for watering of plants planted at the road median, with the obvious target to present them as fresh as possible, added the source.