NH-37 blockade stir called off
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 24 2025: Local Meira Paibi Lup and club of Patsoi Part-1 have withdrawn the blockade enforced on NH-37 following an assurance by authorities concerned that road renovation work will commence from Tuesday morning.

The blockade was launched on March 21 to protest government's alleged indifferent attitude to demand for repairing the highly dilapidated condition of the road stretch between Oriental College and Keithelmanbi.

The said road had remained neglected for years after surface milling in the name of a road expansion project.

Residents resorted to blocking the national highway to protest the poor condition of the road, which had resulted in heavy dust and pollen dispersion, creating serious health hazards for the people living nearby, especially those operating businesses along the roadside.

On Monday, Imphal West DC Mayanglambam Rajkumar convened a meeting at his office with the manager of NHIDCL, representatives of Avantika (I) Limited, the work agency, and local clubs and Meira Paibi Lups.

During the meeting, the authorities assured the local residents that renovation work would commence from Tuesday morning and that the blacktopping of the road would be completed within two months.

Following this assurance, the protestors agreed to withdraw the blockade with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, sources informed that chief secretary PK Singh instructed authorities of the work agencies for early completion of works for the 15-kilometre portion of NH-37, which connects Imphal to Silchar.

According to the sources, the chief secretary advised officials of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and Avantika Constructions also known as Sri Avantika Contractors (I) Limited or SACIL to ensure completion of the road work at the earliest.

The instruction came after various organisations of Patsoi Part (I) in Imphal West district launched road blockade agitation for the fifth day on Monday in Patsoi area of NH-37 .

The protesters alleged that about a 15 km stretch of the Imphal-Silchar road between Oriental College and Keithelmanbi has almost become a death-trap for motorists with multiple craters and potholes following the apathy of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

At different locations, the construction company dug up the roads extensively as part of a large-scale road concretization project.

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