By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL, February 4: Vehemently decrying the poor maintenance of the Ukhrul -Jessami Road (NH-202) by the 88 RCC, 25 BRTF/BRO despite regular flow of funds, the Border Area Villages Association (BAVA) has today called for a speedy investigation into the matter by a competent investigative authority like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and subsequent initiation of legal action against the errant road agency from the side of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, Augustine AS, president, BAVA said that it has been more than three years since the 25 BRTF has not taken up any major repairing/black topping work apart from filling up pot holes and the black topping of a half kilometer stretch currently happening at Kuirei-Kalhang while leaving the major portions in bad shape.
The condition of said road beyond Phangrei is so bad that it is not worthy of a national highway any longer, he added.
Further alleging that the agency is carrying out repairing work just for name-sake, even as the road condition continue to deteriorate day by day, Augustine said that they are growing suspicious of fund embezzlement by the 25 BRTF as funds flow for its maintenance has never stopped.
“This suspicious maintenance work on the part of the said BRTF has left us no other options than to demand an investigation by the CBI and a befitting action against the said agency by the Ministry of Defence.” he added.
Meanwhile, BAVA has also asked the government to expedite the process for opening of the proposed fourth Border Liaison Office (BLO)/Border Haat at Tusom in the district.