CHANDEL, September 28: A team of Kuki Students`™ Organisation, KSO Chandel on Sunday inspected the Imphal-Moreh highway at Pallel and found many loaded heavy vehicles violating a ban of the Public Works Department, National Highway Division on heavy vehicles commuting along the highway from Pallel towards Moreh.
The plying of loaded heavy vehicles along the route has hampered road repairing along the route, the team said.
The team which was accompanied by the media persons witnessed 10-wheeler trucks and Shaktiman plying along the highway despite the official ban.
Several Shaktiman trucks were found transporting wood planks from Moreh to Saivom and Senam Village to be transported towards Imphal by bus, the student body said.
The portion of sinking road along Imphal – Moreh Section of National Highway 102 in between Tengnoupal and Chahmol was also sunken deeper due to continue plying of heavy vehicles.
Lhunminlal Haokip, Secretary of Health and Environment, KSO Chandel also told that following the deteriorating road condition of Imphal-Moreh road particularly the sunken portion of the road near Tengnoupal due to the recent heavy rainfall, the student body has decided to enforce immediate ban on movement of heavy vehicles including ten wheelers along the section of highway till the road is fully repaired.
He also said that if heavy vehicles continue to ply along this road uncheck, the border town will be totally cut off for many days as there is no alternative by pass road for the sinking portion in between Tengnoupal and Chahmol.
And all commercial vehicles including Shaktiman truck carrying goods weighing more than eigth tonnes will also came under the purview of the ban, he added.
While appealing to all the traders, vehicle owners or associations and the general public to extend co-operation in this regard, the student leader also warned that the student body will take up befitting action if any one defies and violates the ban on heavy vehicles.
Sibong Khudengthabi Village chief Ch Pachoh Kom who is a former MDC said the Imphal-Moreh Highway is a life-line of not only the people of Moreh and its surrounding villages, but also for the whole people of the State.
The road from Heirok to Moreh via Leibi is only the alternative road of the Imphal-Moreh Highway, he added.
He also maintained that now we have to depend solely on Imphal-Moreh section of National Highway 102 as some portions of Heirok to Moreh road were also washed away by the recent landslide in the state.
However, the sunken portions of road along the Imphal-Moreh road near Tengnoupal and Kwatha Lamkhai were also sunken deeper as heavy vehicles continue to ply along the Highway. As such, the people of Moreh and surrounding villages were apprehension of being remain cut off from the rest of the state, added the Village Chief.
While appealing the State government and social organisaton to check movement of Heavy vehicles, S. Khudengthabi Chief also expressed that he along with his villagers resolved to enforced ban of heavy vehicles along the road.