Bridge on the River Barak
Govt moots earthen dam in lieu of RCC bridge
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 23 2010: As the feet of the railway bridge which is to be constructed over Barak river for the Tupul-Imphal railway line would be too high, authorities are seriously considering construction of an earthen dam in place of an RCC bridge.

If any RCC bridge is to be constructed over Barak river at the particular point, it should be as high as 400 metres.

At present, there is no bridge in India measuring 400 metres in height.

Even though there are some bridges of such height in some foreign countries, it would be disastrous if any anti-establishment or subversive elements attempt to destroy such bridges by planting bombs.

The present bridge over the Barfak river on NH-53

In the event of such attacks, it would take almost one full year to rebuild it, not counting the huge monetary cost.

Seriously weighing such possibilities, the State Government and the Railway authorities have been considering about building an earthen dam in lieu of RCC bridge.

If it is an earthen dam, it would take only a few months to restore it even if militants dare to bombard it.

However, no final decision has been taken as yet, conveyed a source.

Though the distance between Jiribam and Tupul is 74 Kms, re-alignment of the route has shortened by 14 Kms.

Of the three camps opened by Railway authorities along NH-53, only the one located at Noney is given security protection.

The other two located at Awangkhul and Khongsang have no security cover.

Taking advantage of the absence of security protection, one armed group came to the Khongsang and Awangkhul camps and threatened labourers and officials stationed there.

Because of the threats by armed persons, the labourers and officials stationed at these two camps were unable to carry out their work.

This has been intimated to the State Government by Railway authorities.

On the other, the Government of Manipur were facing certain problems in providing security guards as a large number of security personnel have been deployed elsewhere for conducting ADC elections and the Government's decision to ban entry of Thuingaleng Muivah to Manipur.

Nevertheless, as the ADC elections are over, the State Government has conveyed to the Railway authority its readiness to spare security personnel for the Railway officials and labourers.

Meanwhile, construction of a major bridge and a tunnel about 10 Kms away from Jiribam towards Imphal have been initiated.

But heavy machinery brought in for boring the tunnel and construction of the major bridge have severely worn out the road.

This prompted the local people to complain to the railway authority to repair the worn down road section.

The railway authority relayed the complaint to the ADC Jiribam but the latter maintained that no fund was available for repairing the road.

This infuriated the local people and they dug out a stretch of the road yesterday.

Consequent upon digging up of the road, movement of a number of machinery has been seriously impeded.

The railway authority has registered a complaint about this with the State Government.

As it is the responsibility of the State Government to repair the dug up road, the Government has initiated a process to repair the same dug out section.