By Alex Guite
LAMKA, May 5: With the anticipated arrival of the monsoons, people of Sangaikot TD block in Churachandpur, bereft of tarred roads for more than 26 long years, there is still no glimmer of hope. People in the area reminisce about their area being black-topped only twice: one, just after Manipur got its statehood in 1972, and second, during 1982-1983.
People along the Chura-Sugnu road in the Sangaikot TD block under Singhat Kendra were promised last year by politicians and officials alike that they would witness a change this year which however didn’t materialise. They were promised that the road from Churachandpur police station to Sugnu Bazaar would be developed soon.
The road in question estimated to be approximately 26 km in length begins from Churachandpur Police Station as the zero point. Documents show that out of this 26 km, work on 10 km will be undertaken in the first phase which, however, it has turned out to be a mere 5 km with a whopping Rs 300,00000 earmarked for it, an official confirms.
The road development works of the 5 km stretch starting from T.Phaizawl to the zero point was distributed between three contractors out of which the first part has been completed till now albeit the all important drainage along the road still remained absent with the remaining two parts yet to be developed.
It may be recalled here that the concerned politician and officials has promised that the rainy season will not be a hindrance in the road development.
Villagers of the area said that they anticipated black toppings but only saw red toppings instead in the road, adding that the bitumen is scantily used as revealed by the pebbles that has cropped up which should actually be buried.
Disagreeing with the words of the labourers of the constructor that they used more than 150 tins of bitumen in the 1.5 km stretch, they said that people has to see for themselves to know how true their words are.
The villagers are also concerned that even after the 1.5 KM stretch is completed as the others remain unfinished it will be of no use because riding in that road is like going to a war.
The road was planned to be developed with double Water Burn Mixing (WBM) and then was to be plastered with bitumen as per the government specifications. However, the locals and those in the know, say that the road was built with single WBM and below per tar macadam.
The locals are also curious and demanded to know that if the three contractors got contracts for 1.5 km each what has happened to the other half km.
On February the past year, some top officials that include Singhat legislator Ginsuanhau; Chief Engineer M Loken, Additional Chief Engineer Ch.Tiken, Superintending Engineer Hemanta Kumar and Executive Engineer N.Guite of the PWD promised in full media glare that the construction will start before the next rainy season in three phases of 10,10,6 km respectively and since then two intense rainy seasons had elapsed. They also promised at that time that the first available union and state funds will be earmarked for this neglected place.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Student Organisation and women welfare union of the area lamented the unfulfilled promise which had plagued their area for far too long.