IMPHAL, September 2: Officials of the Border Road Organisation today assured Works and Transport minister Kh Ratankumar Singh that the broken Barak Bridge will be restored within a week`™s time.
The minister accompanied by additional chief secretary O Nabakishore Singh, PWD chief engineer M Lokendro Singh, Manipur Truckers`™ Welfare Association president H Ranjit and other officials visited and inspected the broken bridge along the Imphal-Jiribam highway today.
Taking stock of the damaged bridge, the minister enquired about any development in the bridge repairing work with the concern authority of the 83 Road Construction Company OC RK Garang.
In his reply, Garang said the bridge which has a load capcity of 24 metric tonne and inaugurated in September 2014 was damaged on August 25 after a loaded truck went out of control.
He further assured the minister that the restoration work of the bridge will be completed within a week.
Garang also lamented that there is no facility to monitor the load of the commercial trucks crossing the bridge.
He claimed at times trucks carrying above the load limit and even loaded upto 50 MT were found crossing the bridge which had weakened the bridge.
Meanwhile, the minister speaking to the media on the sideline of the tour said as all the materials required are stock in the vicinity, the repairing work will take a week`™s time and it is also possible that it will be complete in four days.
Dr Ratankumar also informed that the proposal of an RCC Bridge replacing the present bridge has materialised and the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has also already approved to sanction the fund for the purpose. He said the State government has been pressurising the concern authorities to initiate the project at the earliest.
Soon after his return, the minister visited the State Chief Minister to report on his assessment of the situation during his visit.