IMPHAL, Jun 30: Even though Tamenglong-Khongshang road has been already listed as a National Highway for construction of which Rs 13 crore was sanctioned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in 2014-15, the road construction work has not been initiated till date.
A well placed source informed that MoRTH sanc- tioned Rs 13 crore to construct the 39.5 Kms long road at the level of a National Highway and the task was entrusted to the National Highway Infrastructure Development Cooperation Limited (NHIDCL).
Notably, Tamenglong-Khongshang road was lite- rally abandoned for the last 10 years and the people of Tamenglong have been demanding its repairing/con- struction every now and then.
In spite of the people’s persistent demand for development of the road, there is no sign of starting the road construction work any time soon.
Nonetheless, tender for the road construction was done and a firm based outside the State was selected as contractor.
However, some of the documents submitted by the contractor along with bank guarantee issued by HDFC were found to be either erroneous or forged.
Subsequently, the tender process was cancelled and due procedures have been initiated to hold a fresh tender, informed the source.
In view of the dilapidated condition of the road and the people’s strong pressure to build it, an amount of Rs 25 lakh was sanctioned to repair the road at the minimal level.
As the amount of Rs 25 lakh would not be enough to repair the road and make it passable, the same amount was again withdrawn.
The question of constructing Tamenglong-Khongshang road was taken up as an agenda during an official meeting held at Guwahati yesterday where the MoRTH Director General was also present.
Nonetheless, taking serious of the people’s strong pressure to construct the road urgently, the Tamenglong DC has been asking concerned authorities to take up the road construction work as soon as possible.
Apart from the re-tender process, some other factors are also responsible for delaying the road construction work.
Although the task of constructing the road was entrusted to NHIDCL, many civil society organisations of Tamenglong prefer BRO to execute the same work. They are also not in favour of the State PWD as far as construction of the road is concerned.
Many are of the opinion that it would be more convenient if BRO is entrusted the task of constructing Tameng-long-Khongshang road rather than NHIDCL as NH-37 is also under the care of BRO.
Subsequently, the Deputy Secretary (Works) made a proposal to the Chief Secretary to hand over the work of constructing Tamenglong-Khongshang road to BRO. Contrary to the proposal, the Chief Secretary wrote to the NHIDCL asking them to start construction work of Tamenglong-Khongshang road at the earliest.
If the amount of Rs 25 lakh sanctioned to repair the road to passable stage had been entrusted to BRO, the road might have been repaired as BRO has necessary machinery and other construction at nearby places, added the source.
