IMPHAL, October 14: The deplorable condition of the Sangakpham to Koirengei stretch of the State`™s major lifeline National Highway 39 is posing grave danger to motorists, with locals reporting more than 10 serious accidents along the Trans Asian Highway stretch since September.
Locals residing along the highway stretch also accounted that five people have been killed and more than 15 seriously injured in road mishaps along the stretch.
They further charged that negligence of the authorities concerned have only worsened the road condition.
Even the local MLA N Biren who is also from the ruling Congress government admitted that the stretch of the all-important highway has become dangerous for every commuter.
According to the MLA, in the latest report of road mishap which occurred yesterday, a 32 year old man was seriously injured in front of the CRPF Mantripukhri camp.
The man has been identified as Nongthombam Ramboi son of Rajmani of Luwangshangbam and is presently undergoing treatment at the Raj Medicity.
Another person, identified as Moirangthem Santosh, 18, son of Brojen died after being hit by a truck in front of the High Court Complex, he said.
The MLA identified both to be from his own constituency.
Biren further blamed the mismanagement of the Food and Civil Supplies department trucks and Indian Oil Corporation tankers stranded along the highway stretch waiting for escort or for unloading their loads for making the road stretch accident prone.
He said during the past three or so years, several organisations of Heingang constituency have submitted numerous written memorandums to the Chief Minister and the concerned authorities to look into the issue and arrange parking of the trucks and tankers at the Koirengei Old Airport.
However, it is unfortunate that no visible action has been taken up by the government and the concerned authorities till date, the ruling MLA lamented.
The same memorandums were also submitted to the DGP and the SP Imphal East, however, due to lack of government intervention, death tolls due to accident along the 1.5 km stretch from Sangakpham to Haotabi Luwangshangbam has increased much, he deplored.
Heingang Block Congress Committee Nandalal Angomcha said that the worse portion is the Haotabi Luwangshangbam stretch of which half of the road surface has sunk making it all the more vulnerable for motorists.
He said the other worse portion is at Mantripukhri where the eastern side of the road has become a big pond.
He charged that the contractors had not maintained proper quality during road construction at Mantripukhri resulting in the craters which are two feet deep and more than four feet wide in the middle of the road.
He said the State government seems to maintain only the roads which are used by the Governor and the Chief Minister so that the two heads of the State may find the roads to be in perfect shape.
He also said that the people of the constituency have already appealed to the government to manage parking of the vehicles stranded along the highway at the Old Airfield Koirengei, however, the government has failed to look into it.
He warned of agitation in case the government fail to look into the issue at the earliest.