The new Cachar road or NH 37 has long been a sore thumb among the highways of Manipur and it was politically correct for Dr Khumujam Ratankumar Singh to visit this vital lifeline by road, after taking over as the Works Minister. His statement that he has come not to find faults but to help the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in speeding up the construction work on the highway speaks volumes of his firm attitude, quiet confidence and the importance that he places on the said highway. Yes, he had expressed displeasure at the way BRO is undertaking the construction work and the enormous time that the agency has taken on the highway. But you will not get the required results by shouting down the agencies implementing the construction work. The offer of help that the new Works minister has extended to the agency will go a long way in the implementation of the work. Also they need a pat on the back for some of the good works that they have done. NH 37 has assumed significance in recent times with frequent disruptions of traffic on the Imphal-Dimapur road due to series of bandhs and blockades of all hue. It has indeed become a political highway, where political assertions are frequently played out. In more recent times, the Dimapur highway had been blockaded a number of times. Whenever there is a blockade on the Dimapur highway, the unfinished Jiribam highway catches the attention of the government and the public as well. And the BRO will become the favourite kick bag of all civil society organizations and everybody. Ministers will visit the Jiribam highway at such times with engineers, officials and the media persons in tow. But, that was only for public consumption. As soon the situation in the Dimapur highway comes under control the Jiribam highway will vanish from the public radar. Yes, there are at least some organizations who continue to pursue the work progress of the highway. What is lacking on the part of the state is continued pressure. Although the Border Roads Organization is a central agency, it is for the state Works department to monitor the progress of the works undertaken by the agency. The works need constant monitoring from the maintenance of quality and work progress by the state engineers, as the minister found sub-standard quality work during his recent inspection tour. The state government should not even blink while monitoring the road construction on the NH 37 as monsoon is closing in fast. Once the monsoon sets in, road construction will stop and the unfinished stretches of the highway will further deteriorate. And the efforts of BRO will come to naught. Road construction works have to be finished and the bridges on the highway have to be strengthened to receive heavy traffic in case of any eventuality. One cannot take for guarantee that nothing will happen on the Dimapur highway as the months of June, July and August are very restive months in the political scenario of Manipur. But we are confident in the style of the new Works minister for deliverance of the goods. He is different from his predecessors in the Works department. He does not wear stetsons or dark Rayban glasses. He does not shout or get shouted. And we are sure, he will not go around like a Road Mohori to inspect road construction late at night and merrily drink on the roadside or gatecrash musical soirees and play the singer. We have seen enough antics in the SPF-II government, also led by Okram Ibobi Singh. And people are fed up of such antics. The time has come for the new ministers to pull up their socks and get down to real business for the sake of posterity.
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