IMPHAL, September 29: The Transporters and Drivers’ Council today continued to lament the condition of the National Highway 37 and the BRO for its tortoise pace work along the National Highway.
Speaking to media persons this afternoon at the MG Avenue office of the TDC, president H Ranjit said a meeting was convened at the State Works Minister Kh Ratan’s office conference room chaired by the Minister himself yesterday.
The meeting was also attended by Principal Secretay (Works), PWD officials, other concern engineers and a team of the council.
He continued that during the said meeting the state authorities had acknowledge that the stretch from Imphal to Barak River of the highway is motorable, however several stretches starting from the Barak adding upto around 78 kms is in the worst condition.
The Works Minister Kh Ratan had during the meet also assured to meet the Chief Minister and talk about the issue at the earliest, he said.
He further appealed to the government to look into the issue at the earliest considering the pitiable condition of the highway and the plight of the transporters and commuters along the highway.
Meanwhile, H Ranjit also deplored the recent statement of Union Defence Minister Pallam Raju that the BRO could not complete its work along the NH 37 as more than 500 overloaded trucks ply daily along the road coupled with the rainy season.
The statement was made during the Union Minister’s recent visit to the state, he claimed.
He lamented that it is not the actual fact but an unfounded and unfortunate statement made on behalf of the BRO.
Since the goods carriers move in groups along the National Highways with security escort, the truckers have to wait for a police approval order to ply along the highway, he said.
And the last such trip from Imphal to Jiribam was made on September 18 and reached Jiribam on September 19, he said.
He further elaborated that after staying at Jiribam for about three to four days, around 450 trucks after getting the required police order started from there for Imphal on September 23.
However due to deplorable condition of the national highway, more than half of the 450 trucks had to be left behind stranded at Shivilong before crossing even the Barak river, he lamented.
On September 24, two more trucks were stuck in a ditch on the muddy highway at a place which is about one and a half kms towards Imphal from Oinamlong, he continued.
However, the BRO failed to make any effort to help the truckers and instead some of the trucks had to rush to Jiribam and brought rock boulders to help the trucks get out of the ditch, he said.