Choithar-Khangkhui PMGSY road under scanner, MSRRDA inspects
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray

Ukhrul, May 26 2014: After the competent court passed an interim order to verify the completion report submitted to the relevant department on the PMGSY road from BRTF road to Khangkhui Khullen via Choithar, Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency (MSRRDA) rushed to the work site to inspect the project status along with members of Tangkhul Naga Contractors Association (TNCA) .

On Monday afternoon, a team of officials from MSRRDA and representatives of Tangkhul Naga Contractors Association (TNCA) held joint inspection of the PMGSY (Pkt.No.916) road construction from BRTF road (NH 150) to Khankhui Khullen via Choithar village after the High Court of Manipur issued interim order to verify the current status of the centrally sponsored project.

A spot visit to the section of the road from Choithar to Khangkhui village has however revealed a different story.

The 13.9-km project that started in 2008 under 6th phase of PMGSY remains far from completion and even failed to maintain the standard guidelines.

Incomplete bridge at Choithar

In 2013, however, the work agency has submitted a completion report to the MSRRDA and there has been move to withdraw final bills in spite of the project progress was measured at 60 percent only.

In this regard, the TNCA had filed a writ petition (WP(c) 81 of 2014) to the High Court of Manipur challenging the report submitted and endorsement of the same by the concerned department.

Consequently, the court issued an interim order on May 8 last instructing the department to verify the project status and submit a complete report within a month time.

An official inspection held this afternoon also found out that the length of road has been measured at 11.9-km against the 13.9-km sanctioned in the work order.

As per the DPR issued by the department, there has to be 12 retaining walls, 12 press wall, 1 slab, 1 bridge and 44 culverts, while the breadth of road has to be a minimum 7-m wide.

Aggrieved with the way the department has been handling the road project in the areas, Veikhang Development Front (VDF) chairman AS Hongva alleged that certain officials has been working hand in glove with the contractor undertaking the road project.

Hongva informed that the PMGSY road from Choithar to Khangkhui has retaining wall, press wall and a few number of culverts, while the breadth is measured at 4.5-m only.

Today's spot inspection also found out that the bridge construction across Chihui River has just started a month ago.

"How can the concerned department accept the completion report submitted by the work agency? It's an attempt to fool the public in the areas," he asked.

According to an official source, the work agency has availed 1.64 crore of the estimated value of 3.45 crore.

In recent time, it was learnt that a sum of 5.36 crore has been proposed to the relevant department after the submission of completion report.

In spite of the interim court order, there has been allegation that the department has sanctioned another Rs.10 lakhs to the contractors in mid of May.