State Transport minister calls on Nitin Gadkari
NEW DELHI, July 4 (MIC): The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today assured Manipur Transport minister Dr Kh Ratankumar for improvement of the National Highway- 37 connecting Jiribam and Imphal.
The Union Minister told him that the Centre takes the over-all development of the North East region on priority.
Manipur Transport minister Dr Khumukcham Ratankumar today met the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Transport Bhawan here and congratulated him on becoming the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
During the meeting, the Manipur Transport Minister drew attention of the Union Minister for the launch of the Imphal- Mandalay Bus service before the Manipur Sangai Festival scheduled to be held from November 11 to 30, 2014 at Imphal.
He reminded the Union minister that the MOW and draft protocol had been signed between representatives of the Government of India and Republic of Myanmar during an inter-ministerial bilateral meeting held at Nay Pyi Taw on June 13, 2014.
Officers from Manipur had also attended the meeting.
He also requested the Union Minister to take up the immigration issues at Moreh in India to smoothen the travel plan of Imphal-Mandalay Bus Service.
Drawing the attention of the Imphal-Jiribam Road in Manipur, Dr Ratankumar requested the Union Minister to construct RCC bridges over Makru, Barak and Irang rivers along the NH-37 on priority.
He apprised that the highway connected the State capital with the only rail head at Jiribam and is the main lifeline of the State.
He urged the Union Minister to make the National Highway into four lanes.
Dr Ratankumar told the Union Minister that most of the food grains and other essential commodities for the State come from Jiribam. Since trucks remain stranded for long at Jiribam disturbing the vehicular traffic at the sub-division, construction of an inter State Truck Terminus at Jiribam is also needed to be taken up on priority. Acquisition of land measuring 8.87 acres had already been completed and the concept paper for an estimated cost of Rs. 25 crores had been submitted by the state Government to the North Eastern Council for funding, he had said.
He also drew the attention of the Union Minister to take up the issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs for deploying National Highway Protection Force along the two National Highways- NH-37 and NH-2 for secure, undisturbed and tension free movement of vehicles along the highways.
He also requested the Union Minister to get scheme of Helicopter Service in Manipur approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs at the earliest.
He said, “In order to fulfil the public demand, the State government has prepared a scheme to introduce Helicopter Service to cover the remote and difficult hill areas of the State. The scheme is being taken up with the ministry of Home Affairs”.
He also drew the attention of the Union Minister to declare Imphal- Mayang Imphal Road and Finch Corner on NH-150 to Tengnoupal on NH-2 having a length of 206 km as National Highways.
He urged the Union Minister to approve the alternate alignment for bypassing the sinking zone on NH-2 between Maram and Mao during Annual Plan 2014-15 and further demanded sanctions for the construction of Lokchao Bridge on NH-2 at the Imphal-Moreh section at the earliest.
Dr Ratankumar invited the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to visit Manipur and the Union Minister accepted his invitation. The meeting was very cordial.