IMPHAL, July 8: Even though the state government has given permission to the oil tankers to park at the Inter State Bus Terminus at Khuman Lampak, the drivers and handymen are not allowed to use the toilets at the Inter-State Bus Terminus.
The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Khuman Lampak was handed over to the people after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and United Peoples’ Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi who is also the president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) on December 3, 2011.
The inaugural function was also attended by Governor Gurbachan Singh and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
The ISBT was constructed at the cost of Rs 26,39,74,000 under the 11th NEC Plan by state Transport department with DoNER Minister Mani Shanker laying the foundation stone for the construction of the bus terminus in February 22, 2009.
The ISBT was targeted to complete by December 30, 2011, however it was completed before the scheduled date by 27 days on December 3, 2011.
But even though the construction works of the bus terminus was completed before the scheduled date, the toilet facilities provided at the ISBT are still not adequate.
When the Inter State Bus Terminal was constructed, the state government had announced that it will provide parking space for around 100 numbers of buses, but no buses are parked at the terminus.
The oil tankers were given the permission to park at the ISBT after they were chased away from their earlier parking at Khuman Lampak and Koirengei.
The total number of oil tankers in the state is around 500 and these 500 oil tankers cannot park at one time at the ISBT. But in a day, a little above 100 oil tankers park at the ISBT.
The toilets at ISBT are being used by the workers of M/S Avantika construction Ltd, Hyderabad, the company which carried out the construction works of the Inter State Bus terminus and the security personnel who are guarding the Inter State Bus Terminus.
The oil tanker drivers and handymen construct their own ‘Kutcha latrine’ and bear the cost of water used therein from their own pockets, the drivers lamented.
“The ISBT construction has been completed and it has been a year now that it was inaugurated”.
“Why are the construction company’s men including the labourers still stationed there?”, a dejected driver who did not want to be named, asked.