JAC bans
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, December 01 2022: The Joint Action Committee for National Highway-2 Expansion has imposed a ban on all works along the Imphal-Dimapur road starting today, reports our correspondent.

According to the JAC, the decision to ban the highway works was taken due to Government's failure to start arbitration process.

A meeting of the JAC was held on November 19 and it served November 30 as the deadline for the Government to act.

JAC convener BL John said the committee has written a letter to the manager of Lekcon Infrastructure Pvt Ltd Kangpokpi to shut all machineries and stop all kinds of road expansion work indefinitely until the pending issue is resolved by the Government.

On November 29, Lekcon had then written to the general manager (P) of NHIDCL PM-Senapati citing pressure from the JAC to shutdown all works.

Consequently, the NHIDCL has apprised Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi about the proposed forced shutdown of works.

It may be noted that an earlier nomination of an arbitrator by the State Government on October 16 was rejected by the Centre based on the criteria that the person was a retired IAS officer.

Later, the State Government had then nominated M Joy Singh, IAS, Commissioner of Art and Culture as the arbitrator on June 1 and this was approved by the Centre.

The representatives of affected land owners of the expansion work have repeatedly approached the Government for an arbitration process.

However, there has been no positive response from the Government, the JAC said.

Meanwhile, with little progress of the NH-2 expansion, the condition of the road section between Motbung and Sapermaina bazaar has worsened much to the dismay of the commuters.

The stretch remains one of the most neglected areas.

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