CCpur public shoulder the onus of repairing roads
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, July 23 2014: Government's failure in ensuring all-weathered roads to most areas in Churachandpur district has forced the public to assume the task of repairing roads with readying to conduct mass social work on atleast two highways to revamp the roads which are battered by monsoon rains.

The social work along the 25 km stretch Chura-Sungnu road began early today with thousands from across 74 villages responding to the call made by KSO Sangaikot Block.

Two excavators reportedly provided by the local MDC and the local MLA assisted the public alongside the handful of passenger vehicles plying along the road.

"As no government action was in sight, pooling our own resources seems to be the only option.

There are good number of stretches where vehicles are usually stuck, if we don't repair them now, we will be completely cut-off if and when the monsoon attains normal", said Jamchinlen, KSO Block president.

CCpur public shoulder the onus of repairing roads

"We have done what we could on our part and it is our humble appeal to the Government that this stretch of road, which is the lifeline of thousands living across Tuining and Makhau area and beyond, should be made an all-weather road as early as possible", he added.

Despite best efforts from the public, the highway appears unfit to withstand the season as quality stones are not readily available and they have been using red soil or a muddle of sand and stone to fill the depressed sections.

At one point, about 20 men are seen loading stones which they carry on their shoulders to a waiting jeep but the exercise would take months even to fill only the worse portions.

The KSO Block leaders said that trucks transporting Serou sand along the road failed to turn up for the social work.

So, they would not be allowed to ply anymore in their area, he said.

Local MDC Tongkai Baite said that it would take time for the Government to make things happen so they were doing their bit today as a stop gap arrangement.

Meanwhile, the Chura-Singngat stretch of Tedim Road is set to witness similar exercise tomorrow under the supervision of KSO Singngat Block and ZSF Singngat Block.

The social work involving 27 villages located along the 34 km stretch would be assisted by 84-RCC BRO, the agency tasked to maintain the road.

All village chiefs will lead their respective village while the student bodies will be supervising the exercise, according to a source.

Incidentally, the two roads fall under the Assembly Constituency of Singngat.

Beset by the fate often worse than the two roads, the 35-km stretch NEC road connecting Henglep Sub-Divisional headquarters with the outside world is reportedly at its nastiest best.

A source in SEDO, the organization that seek to construct an alternate road leading to Henglep, has claimed that one has to spend an entire day to cover the 35-km or so in a Shaktiman truck.