Landslides wreak havoc at Noney, Tamenglong dists : Motbung Bridge develops cracks
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 17 2022: Even as Imphal-Jiribam highway remains cut off since May 12 following the sinking of Irang Bridge, Imphal-Dimapur highway's Motbung Bridge has developed cracks.

On the other hand, landslides and mudslides have wreaked havoc at different locations of Noney and Tamenglong districts.

While power supply has been cut off at many places, both telephone networks and internet service have been disrupted in both the districts.

With most of the rivers flowing above the danger level, many low lying areas have been submerged.

Landslides have been reported at many places along Tamenglong-Tamei road, Tamenglong-Nagaland road, Tamenglong-Tousem road and Imphal-Noney road.

As a result, vehicular movement on these roads has been disrupted.

The RCC T-beam and slab type bridge of Motbung was constructed from Songko Lui or Songko Vadong River in 1978 .

Landslides wreak havoc at Noney, Tamenglong dists : Motbung Bridge develops cracks

Now cracks have developed on the lower surface of the bridge.

Considering the vulnerability of the bridge, the Transport Director issued an order on May 11 whereby all vehicles having gross weight of over 24 tonnes were prohibited from crossing the bridge.

According to sources, authorities came to know of the cracks about a month back but when this reporter visited the bridge today, the cracked portions were found pasted/painted with a white substance.

Two steel objects which looked like bridge columns were seen lying across the river.

According to a local villager, some people brought the steel objects and tried to place the columns in such a way that they support the bridge but the endeavour ended in failure even though they were using excavator (JCB) .

Apart from the cracks, the bridge appeared to be drooping a little bit.

If the bridge collapses, it may not only entail casualties but it would also cut of Imphal-Dimapur highway for a long time.

In case the bridge collapses, there is little possibility of making a diversion or bypass.

Notably, vehicles plying on Imphal-Jiribam highway are being diverted to Rengpang-Bishnupur road after the Irang Bridge collapsed on May 12 .

Sources said that the location of Motbung Bridge falls within the portion of Imphal-Dimapur highway which had been handed over to NHIDCL.

PWD is in charge of the highway portion from Imphal to Koirengei.

Even though NHIDCL has not yet 'taken over' the remaining portion, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already published a gazette notification regarding handing over of the remaining portion of Imphal-Dimapur highway to NHIDCL.

As such, PWD has no authority to do any construction or maintenance work on the highway section which had been handed over to NHIDCL, said the sources.

Nonetheless, the NHIDCL Executive Director and high ranking engineers of PWD (NH Division) had talked about the cracks seen on Motbung Bridge.

They discussed about either giving more support to the existing bridge from below or constructing a new bailey bridge.

The NHIDCL Executive Director reportedly said at the meeting they would give more support to the existing bridge from below but nothing has been done till date to give any support to the bridge.

There is a plan to construct a bigger bridge in place of the existing Motbung Bridge.

But construction of a new bridge necessitates construction of a diversion road which entails acquisition of land.

A joint land survey was already done together with PWD officials but there has been no communication from the side of NHIDCL since then, the sources added.