IMPHAL, January 8: A team led by State BJP chief conducted a spot inspection of the Imphal- Jiribam Road, NH-37, one of the lifelines of Manipur. The BJP chief told media-persons that BRO officials have informed him that the road repair work of NH-37 would be completed by March this year but his party is not convinced.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the manner in which BRO officials are repairing the road, he said there were no signs of the road repair going on in full swing as only a few labours were engaged. `We didn`™t notice any big machines being utilised for the road development either,` Chaoba said, adding that even if officials are stating that there is a shortage of funds for the road development, it has to be repaired.
He also informed that he would visit the national capital on January 15 to mount pressure on the Prime Minister and the concerned Union Minister to expedite the road development work by submitting a detailed report of the spot inspection.
The spot inspection team comprising of many State BJP leaders which inspected the condition of the road which is about 220 Kms long also interacted with many top officials of BRO. They found that the road was in prime condition from Imphal to Noney but the stretch from Rangkhung which led to Irang after crossing Awang Khul which has been black-topped earlier was in an abysmal condition as many cracks have appeared in its black-toppings.
However, they discovered that the road from Irang to Khongsang was also in prime condition. It further came to the notice of the team that apart from some wear and tear in some portions of the road from Khongsang to Nungba after crossing Rengpang, the road was relatively in a good condition. They discovered that many portions of the road from Nungba to Barak was in a deplorable condition but the condition of the road from Barak upto the stretch of the road barley a Km away from Makru has improved.
But both the sides of the road upto six Kms( 186-192 Kms) from the Makru Bridge were in a pitiable state, the team relayed.
The BJP chief also called upon the CO of the 83 RCC, BRO, RK Garg in Noney and dicussed the condition of the road.
During the discussion, the BJP leaders quoted the CO as saying that the stretch from Imphal to Santi Kunou whose condition has improved as compared to its condition during the last several years was being repaired by the 83 RCC.
They said that the CO informed them of setting a target of completing the road development by March this year.
Vehicles have now started using the newly constructed Barak Bridge which is an important connecting point in the NH-37. People have stopped plying on the earlier bridge about a month ago as its condition has deteriorated beyond repair.
The second-in-command of the 114 RCC of the BRO, Colonel L J Singha informed the inspection team that from 186 Kms to 192 Kms, the condition of the road was in an abysmal state. 114 RCC of the BRO is repairing the stretch of the road from Santi Khunou to Jiribam.
They also stated that Colonel Singha informed them that the 114 RCC cannot take up the road development work in full swing as there were no sufficient funds.
He also informed them of setting a target of completing the road development work of the stretch under his responsibility by March this year.
The BJP inspection team included former presidents of the State BJP such as Sh Shantikumar and M Bhorot, Vice-president I Mangiton, general secretary (administration) M Asnikumar, BJYM president O Malesh etc.