IMPHAL, August 25: The Manipur Truck Owners Welfare Association has today charged the Border Road Organisation for the dilapidated condition of the Barak Bailey Bridge after two spans of the bridge were found damaged this morning.
Speaking to media persons at their MG Avenue office, president of the association H Ranjit further charged the BRO of carrying out shoddy works using third class materials in constructing the bailey bridge.
He charged the BRO of using the important NH 37 to earn easy money.
Elaborating on the charges, he said this morning two spans of the important bridge (each with a length of 10 feet each) were found damaged restricting vehicular movement on the bridge.
This is the third time since its inauguration last year in September, that the bridge has been left non-functional due to damages, he continued.
The latest instance being earlier this month on August 12, he continued.
After being repaired on August 18, around 300 empty vehicles going to Jiribam had crossed the Barak Bailey Bridge and on August 24, the loaded trucks had headed for Imphal, he said.
Now, we find the bridge broken again, he lamented.
Ranjit said MTOWA has been crying hoarse that third class materials have been used during construction of the bridge.
The materials tested and recommended by the authorities were not used by the BRO, he claimed.
The BRO which has the sole responsibility of this route has reduced it to be its money earning project, he claimed.
The BRO has also never mentioned the weighing capacity of the bridge or the total estimated cost of the new Barak Bridge construction, he said.
Since, the Central government and the Ministry of Surface Road transport and Highways are not looking, the BRO is having a free-hand, he claimed.
He said in such an instance, the Chief Vigilance Officer or the CBI should conduct an enquiry on the working of the BRO.
The BRO, he said wants minimum numbers of vehicles plying on the road to extend its life.
The BRO has imposed a weight restriction of 24 tonnes while crossing the Barak Bridge, he said, questioning further in which national highway of the country such a practice is allowed.
The inefficiency of the BRO is affecting only the people of Manipur, he said.
Elaborating further he said, the Imphal-Dimapur highway has been disconnected for only a 4/5 days and the State is already facing the pinch. There is scarcity of petroleum products in the State already, he added.
He said heavy loaded trucks passed through the route once in a long period of time, then how come the bridge gets damaged so often.
He further appealed to both the Chief Minister and the State Works minister to intervene and repair the bridge at the earliest.
If the government can make an initiative, the MTOWA is ready to provide financial and physical support to repair the bridge, he continued.