Ban on highway works completes 23 days
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 05 2019:
The ban imposed by the Land and Properties Owners Association NH 37 on all construction and maintenance works of NH 37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway) has completed 23 days today.
Land and Properties Owners Association NH 37 imposed a ban on all construction and maintenance works of NH 37 as well as construction works of Barak and Makru bridges since January 14 on the ground that compensation for land acquired for construction/expansion of the highway has not been paid.
The 220 Kms long highway was under the care of BRO before it was taken over by the NHIDCL which is a public sector undertaking of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
After NHIDCL took over the highway from BRO, three contractors namely M/S HVS Construction Materials Pvt Ltd, M/S Nidhi Creative Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and M/S BIPL have been executing short term improvement and routine maintenance works since the past three years which led to significant improvement of the highway.
BIPL has also been constructing new Barak and Makru bridges along the highway.
Notably, a DPR is being prepared for expansion of Imphal-Jiribam highway as a four-lane standard highway.
But all these activities have been brought to a grinding halt due to the ban being imposed by the Land and Properties Owners Association NH 37.Sources informed that non-local labourers engaged by the three contractors are being fed free of cost even though they are not doing any work on account of the ban as the contractors fear that it would be difficult to re-engage them once they are sent back.
Moreover, a large number of machinery sent to work sites by the contractors are sitting idle for the past 23 days.
As such, there is a strong possibility of the contractors demanding idle charge.
In case the contractors demand idle charge, it needs to be ascertained whether the idle charge should be paid by NHIDCL, MoRTH or the State Government, said the sources.
Informing that the Chief Secretary has taken up certain initiatives to bring a solution to the quandary, the sources conveyed that the Chief Secretary has also written to the MoRTH to send a responsible officer to work out a solution through consultation with all stakeholders.