Minister inspects Highway repairing work
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 24 2013: Accom-panied by top Government officials, Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar today inspected progress of road repairing work by BRTF personnel at the landslide affected NH-2 section near Kohima.

Apart from assessing progress of the highway repairing work being undertaken by personnel of 15 BRTF, the Minister also studied condition of the alternative road-link from Kohima to Malve via Pudunamei which will rejoin NH-2 after traversing nearly 7 kilometres.

The Minister was accompanied by Principal Secretary (Works), Additional Chief Engineer, Mao AC MLA Dikho and representatives of Transport and Drivers Forum.

While it is still not possible for Manipur-bound goods carriers to cross the sunken zone in Phesama village near Kohima, about 100 empty trucks were found awaiting clearance at Khuzama check post in Nagaland.

Sunken road along NH-2

Interacting with BRTF officials who were supervising Highway restoration work, Minister Ratankumar highlighted problems being endured by the people of Manipur owing to cessation of goods transportation along the Highway section.

He also intimated to the BRTF officials about the emergency visit of Union Minister of State for Defence Jitendra for inspection of existence condition of Imphal-Jiribam route consequent to road blockade caused by the highway cave-in.

The Minister further suggested that the road repairing work be undertaken on a war footing.

According to the BRTF Commander Tejpal Singh the Highway restoration work, which include fresh cutting of the mountain slope above the sunken portion, might be completed within two weeks if favourable weather condition prevails.

Informing that due to continuous movement of light vehicles, BRTF personnel are facing problems as only about two hours of work is possible at a stretch in a day, he however assured the Minister that to facilitate movement of vehicles to and from Manipur at the earliest possible BRTF will work in shifts even after dusk.

Talking to newspersons, Dr Ratankumar said his inspection visit with the Mao AC MLA was on the advise of the Chief Minister to study if there is possibility of developing an alternative route from the sunken zone.

He further affirmed that road development work including repairing of pot-holes along the Kohima-Pudunamei-Malve route could be completed with 3-4 days as the alternative passage is comparatively short and in manageable condition.

While loaded vehicles from Dimapur side will come on the said route, those heading towards Dimapur side will take the Mao-Pudunamei-Kohima route, the Minister explained.

Calling upon the truck operators not to exceed 10 tonne load, Transporters and Drivers Forum general secretary L Ratan Khuman opined that travelling on the Kohima-Pudunamei-Malve road will necessitate deployment of security personnel.

He, however, expressed that travel on the alternative road will be more convenient to transporters compared to the Jessami-Ukhrul road.