Transporters fume as NHIDCL limits load to 24 MT
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 13 2025:
Stating that the 100-foot long Nung Dolan Bridge along National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) is fraught with risk owing to movement of overloaded vehicles, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has intimated to deputy commissioners concerned not to allow vehicles with load weighing over 24MT to pass through the Bridge.
Reacting to the strictures, All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers' Union termed the notice as unacceptable and charged the NHIDCL of making the transporters scapegoat instead of reprimanding contractors who failed to repair the Bridge in time.
It continued that the transporters operating on the route carry load as specified in the prescribed Act and Rule.
It accused NHIDCL of trying to overburden the overwhelmed people of Manipur.
On Monday, the general manager (P) of Project Management Unit (PMU) Noney, NHIDCL sent letters to the DCs and SPs of Tamenglong, Jiribam, Imphal West, Noney and Kangpokpi districts, specifying that the Nung Dolan Bridge on NH-37 was constructed by BIPL in 2018 with a capacity to uphold 24 MT.
However, transporters (trucks) using the Bridge are carrying twice the specified capacity, causing strain to the structure.
With heavy downpour, soil erosion around the Bridge's foundation and overloading of vehicles have started to affect structural integrity of the Bridge.
This has led to some damages to the bridge, which is causing hindrance to the movement along Imphal-Jiribam route.
Everyone is blatantly ignoring the caution boards on both sides of the Bridge.
As such, the letter urged DCs of Jiribam and Tamenglong not to allow vehicles with load over 24MT to cross the Bridge.
On the other hand, regarding the move by NHIDCL, All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers' Union general secretary Maimom Anil spoke to newspersons on Wednesday.
He said that it is completely unacceptable for the Company to put the blame on the transporters instead of actually doing its job and supervising its sub-contractors.
He categorically stated that the transporters using the national highway are not carrying load in excess of the prescribed capacity, but adhering to provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act.
Questioning why NHIDCL is causing problems over the 100ft long Nung Dolan Bridge after replacing the Irang, Barak and Makru Bridges with RCC structures; Anil alleged that NHIDCL is trying to put more burden on the people of the state.
He further asked whether NHIDCL and other companies operating under it, are working on NH-37 by taking the 24MT load capacity as reference or condition.
Raising suspicions that NHIDCL is colluding with contractors to earn profit from the national highways; he urged the Governor and authority concerned to look into the matter in detail.
He then said that for the Drivers' Union, what they want is work along the national highways to be done while maintaining quality and building bridges compatible with national highways.
He urged against taking advantage of road blockades to collude with contractors to earn money and put burden on the people of Manipur.
Anil continued that amid the inconvenience faced by transporters along NH-2 and the time taken in travelling along NH-37 which is closed for repairs (which remains incomplete), the crackdown on the load capacity is akin to imperilling the masses through artificial shortage of essential items and trigger price hike.
He then questioned why NHIDCL is obeying the instructions of Sarjun Infra Private Limited, which is doing the work.
This only shows that both NHID-CL and the contractor are not overseeing the work properly.
Anil further said that the collapse of foundation pillar of an RCC bridge built to replace Nung Dolan Bridge indicates lack of quality control and close supervision of the parties concerned.
There would have been no problems if the priority was on proper maintenance of the Bridge instead of pretending to repair the bridge for photography profiling.
It is well known that the load capacity of a double decker bridge is up to 40MT.In addition, NHIDCL had previously stated that the erstwhile Irang Bridge could carry load of around 33-34 MT.
Questioning why would vehicles of up to only 24 MT capacity be allowed to cross the 100-ft long bridge, Anil said that the Union might approach the courts for legal help if NHIDCL continues to blame transporters while taking advantage of the roads and bridges.
He then urged the Governor and all concerned to look into NHIDCL and investigate whether the Company is compromising the quality of the roads being repaired by it.
He further urged for the requisite action to be taken up in this regard.
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