Imphal, November 18 2008: As a consequent of the deplorable condition of the road connecting Churachandpur district and its Henglep sub-division, the people of the villages located along Doyang and Kailam ranges of the sub-divisions continued to live steep in underdevelopment.

Accompanied by a team of mediapersons, Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) General Headquarters and Information Centre for Hill Areas, Manipur (ICHAM) had jointly conducted an inspection tour of these villages to take first hand account of the difficulties and problems being faced by the villagers as well as to find out whether the benefits of the developmental schemes and programmes being taken up by the Government reached them or not.

Representatives of KSO Churachandpur District unit and KSO Henglep sub-divisions were also part of the inspection team.

During the course of the inspection tour, it was came across that though Henglep sub-divisions is situated not far off, just 75 kms from Churachandpur district headquarters, underdevelopment has been the hallmark of the region.

The road stretching from Singmun Lamkhai of National Highway 150 and popularly known Henglep Road has been the main lifeline of the people living N Saikot, D Munlui, Dawzang, Henglep, Bongmoul, Damjon, etc which are located along Kailam range on the northwestern direction of Singmun Lamkhai.

But the condition of the road is so bad that only Shaktimas could ply on it.

According to villagers of Henglep, some 10 years from now there used to be passenger bus service from Henglep.

But after around one year of service, it has been stopped as the condition of the road deteriorated.

For all these years, the Government has taken up any steps to improve the condition of the road, atleast to make it usable, the villagers complained.

The inspection team, however, came across a signboard on the road side indicating construction work along the 5 kms long road stretch starting from N Saikot with funding from Special Plan Assistant and Additional Central Assistance of 2006-07 .

But no sign of the work is to be seen.

With long years of neglect, the road today bears only tract of Shaktiman tyre with puddles all over.

Following depression of the road at many places, the width of the road has been reduced considerably making travelling along the road not just great hardship but also risky.

The inspection team experienced that it took around 8 hours to cover a distance of around 35 kms from Singmun Lamkhai to Henglep.

Inspite of the deplorable condition of the road and the risky factor involved, the villagers of the sub-divisions have no other option but to depend on the same road.

As for the villagers of D Munlui and Dawzang located along Doyang Range towards east of Kailam Range as well as that of Bongmoul, Mollen, Najang, Bolkot and Songkot villages located towards north of Henglep on the same Range, there has been no road that the Government has ever constructed for them.

Chief in-charge of Bolkot village Tonglal Haokip , while wishing the Government to construct a road that could connect these villages with Henglep, desired that a suspension bridge should be constructed over Dollen river at the earliest possible.

The inspection team, however, came across that construction of a road stretch from N Saikot to D Munlui has been atleast started under NREGS to facilitate movement of people living in the remote villages nestling along Kailam Range.

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