IMPHAL, February 22: State Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar has said on the sidelines of an inspection tour of the Imphal Moreh Highway that the North East Council has approved three projects to be taken up at Moreh and its surrounding areas under the 12 year plan. The Minister was leading a team including the Tengoupal MLA, DK Korungthang, PWD Chief Engineer other officials and media persons on an inspection tour of the Imphal-Moreh highway.The team had left Imphal for Moreh on February 21 morning.
Speaking on the sidelines of the tour today at Moreh, Minister Ratankumar identified the three approved projects as the improvement of the 91 km long Tamenglong-Tousem-Haplong road; construction of the 51 km long Kangchup-Tamenglong road; improvement of 40 km long roads in and around the International Trade Centre with an estimated cost of Rs 78 Crores.
He continued that the NEC had also approved the construction 7.5 km long Tadubi-Usero Khezokhenema road at an estimate cost of Rs 11.5 crore which was dropped later on. The Minister said the government is putting efforts to develop Moreh during 2012-13 and continued that work on the improvement of the Eastern Ring Road Moreh under an estimated cost of Rs 50 lakh as promised during his last visit has been started. He further assured the improvement of the 6.44 Km long road to Kotha village from National Highway 2 at an estimated cost of Rs 85.71 lakh.
Pointing out that all developmental constructions in the Moreh border town have already been approved and funds provided under the Special Plan Assistance, the Minister further added that the yet to be approved Rs 1.5 crore for the improvement of the roads in the town will be provided through the PWD. The improvement of the Ring Road around Komlathabi at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore has been included in the programme of the Central Road Fund, he said.
The Minister led inspection was conducted considering the upcoming BCIM car rally which will be reaching Imphal on February 26 from Kolkatta and after a one night halt, leave for Moreh on February 27.
The Imphal leg of the car rally will be flagged off on February 26 by state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh while the Tengoupal MLA, DK Korungthang will be flagging off the car rally from Moreh on February 27.
There are few stretches along the Highway which still needs repairing including some potholes at Lokchao, the Minister said. The reason for the slow work progress at such stretch is because of certain disturbances including bandhs, he said.
Tengoupal MLA, Korungthang said road repairing and construction works should maintain quality. He said there are certain road stretches which are taken up by the Manipur Development Society.n Work agencies and contractors involved in the repairing and construction of roads should conduct yearly inspection of the road stretches on which they had worked, he said.