Kangpokpi, September 19 2017: Imphal-Tamenglong road constructed at a cost of Rs 78 crore under funding from the North Eastern Council in 2014 has started to collapse even as construction work over some portions of the road is yet to be to be completed .
Commonly known as IT road, it passes through Twilang area in Kangpokpi district covering more than 70 villages within a stretch of 70 Kms from Kangpokpi DHQs to Tamei .
Interestingly, IT Road also passes through three Assembly Constituencies, viz.
Kangpokpi, Tadubi and Tamei where two of the elected MLAs hold Ministerial portfolios in the present BJP led coalition Government in Manipur .
The Imphal -Tamenglong road stretch of the State highway covering two districts apart from the three ACs is allegedly the most neglected highway stretch in the State .
The sub-standard quality of the road construction and absence of proper drainage, coupled with the ravages brought by Cyclone Mora that swept the entire State including Twilang and the incessant heavy rain have all taken a heavy toll on the highway stretch .
Disappointed with the early breakdown of the road, the IT Road Joint Monitoring Development Committee, a conglomeration of all communities including Kuki, Naga and Nepalese, on behalf of the Twilang people condemned the poor construction of the road while conveying the people discontentment .
Thangminlen Kipgen, chairman, IT Road Joint Monitoring Development Committee led a team of local civil bodies including media persons to inspect the deplorable condition of IT Road today and articulated the grievances of the people over the bad condition of the road .
He said that inspite of covering two districts and three Assembly Constituencies, IT Road is one of the most neglected State highways in the State .
“I am proudly claiming that all villages along the highway had voted the BJP to power but the negligence on the part of the BJP Government is causing regret among the electorate”, asserted.
He further urged the BJP led Government to rebuild the trust deficit by repairing the road immediately before all the electorate who voted for the party completely lose their faith and added that the three MLAs including the two Ministers have failed to look into the grievances of the people .
An irritated aged elector from Thonglang Atongba said that during election campaign they (the elected MLAs) promised to make the road vibrant for the people but when they got elected “we even never saw them again compelling us to live under such harsh condition owing to the deplorable road.”
A stretch from Kangpokpi DHQs till Chawangkining is passable, but the nightmare starts from Chawangkining to Thonglang Akutpa .
Some portion of the road was seen sinking or carried down narrowing the road while big boulders were also seen along the roadside apart from several minor landslides and large accumulation of water logging on the road making it hard for the vehicle to pass through .
Interestingly, small nullahs were also seen right in the middle of the road owing to the absence of drainage along the roadside which force the rain water to flow over the road .
KSO Sadar Hills general secretary, Ngamkhohao Haokip said that the lackadaisical attitude of the State Government towards the people of Twilang areas is condemnable and urged the Chief Minister to personally intervene into the matter and monitor the problem and hardships of the people while addressing their grievances sooner than later.
Source: The Sangai Express
