DoNER Ministry overlooks Sanjenthong
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 18 2013: Even though the State PWD has a grand vision of re-building Sanjenthong as one of the most majestic bridges in the heart of Imphal city, the project is unlikely to be initiated within 2013-14 .

The State Government's Planning Department submitted a project profile to the Ministry of DoNER for construction of a new bridge which would replace the 64 year old Sanjenthong under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) .

However, the same project was left out by the Ministry of DoNER even as it approved seven different projects for execution in the State starting from the current financial year, informed an official source.

With many components of the bridge not working properly, the 64 year old bridge is no longer safe and is not suitable for the present and changing needs.

In view of the imminent necessity for construction of a new bridge, the State PWD even contacted some project consultants based outside the State and drew up designs of the replacement bridge so as to make it the most magnificent bridge of Imphal city.

Longer the bridge, easier is the task of designing but Sanjenthong being a short bridge, it was really difficult to design it.

Width of the existing Keishampat bridge is that of six lanes while the road from Keishampat bridge to Palace Compound is that of four lanes.

But Sanjenthong bridge which connects has the breadth of only two-lanes.

Taking serious note of the constriction of traffic at Sanjenthong on account of its narrowness, PWD has been planning and working to construct a bridge which can have at least the width of four lanes.

PWD has even made a rough estimate of the bridge at Rs 35 crore which according to them would be the most magnificent bridge in Imphal city.

PWD sent a project profile to the DoNER Ministry for construction of the bridge under NLCPR but it was left out by the Ministry from amongst the projects approved for the current financial year.

Earlier, a project for re-construction of Sanjenthong at the cost of Rs 10 crore inflatable by 20 per cent was approved but it was aborted as it would be really hard to construct a practicably purposeful bridge with just Rs 12 crore, added the source.

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