KANGPOKPI, December 18: Drawing the immediate attention of the State Government and its elected members during the ongoing Assembly session, the Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) has today demanded for immediate improvement of the NH-2 which is an important lifeline of the State.
The apex student body observed that, at the time of initial work executing period, contractors/ Implementing Agency had not stick to the prescribed specifications and hence the poor work quality has been exposed.
It further said that repairing work of the said highway was done in a mere ‘cosmetic’ manner and in a haphazard manner, so that the contractor may withdraw his final bill.
This insensitivity of the PWD-highway division department and its officials, year after year, have gone unnoticed to the government, the SDSA said.
The student body also questioned as to why the PWD has miserably failed to hold grip to those contractors/Implementing agency that has been maligning the image of the Dept while expressing resentment over the department for failing to rein over the contractors.
As the State government is unmindful of the inconveniences caused to the people and often adopts a hands-off approach, it incurred the wrath of the entire citizens that inhabit along the NH-2 stretch and often lead to protests/agitations, SDSA said.
It also alleged that, unlike other highways of the State NH-2, which is the lifeline of State, is enduring beyond its capacity with most of the stretch under Distress Zone. The overloaded Vehicles over 250-300 that ply on NH-2 every alternate days has made NH-2 vulnerable and cannot withstand the load and most of the portions are in a deplorable condition, it said.
Therefore to discourage overloading of vehicles, the State government must come up with strict measures in complying with the Supreme Court orders 2005 to stop any overloaded vehicle on road or highways and the extra load be confiscated, it added.
Recommending a means to control overloaded trucks on highways, the SDSA has suggested to installations of weighing machines at strategic checkpoints so as to ensure overloaded vehicles face a strict scrutiny and are penalized for offending laws/orders.
Rule violators can be booked under the “Prevention damage to public property Act”, it said and added that let the caretaking and owing responsibility of the Highway by PWD do not die down, immediately after every cosmetic repairing works and always leave NH-2 to itself.
The student body also urged the State government to own more guardianship and shows its existence to the people while adding that with lakhs of rupees being used in building highways and roads, tough measures are necessary to sustain development.