IMPHAL, July 24: The ongoing road widening work taken up from Keishampat Junction to Malom along the Tiddim Road has been taken up considering the future generations.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said in reply to a calling attention motion moved by Keishamthong MLA L Ibomcha Singh.
He was filling in for the Works minister.
The Keishamthong MLA had raised concern that in the process of widening Tiddim Road, efforts have been made to acquire land which has already been demarcated and acquired by the government.
Replying to the motion, the Chief Minister said that since the airport is located along the road, people have also come to know of the road as the Airport Road and there is no possibility of shifting the airport to another location.
At the same time there is also no possibility of constructing long flyovers along the road to provide diversion to the vehicles, and as such it has become necessary to widen the road, he said.
People of Bishnupur and Churchandpur are the only people who would come from the southern direction of the road, however the number of people who use the road to reach the airport passing through keishampat are the people of the remaining seven districts of the State, the Chief Minister said.
Preparation for the widening of the road had begun from 2008-09, and the road has been widened 38 metre in total and 19 metre on each side from the road median, the Chief Minister told the House and added that earlier the government had intended to widen it to 45 metre.
He continued that the government had received wholesome support and co-operation from the people inhabiting along the road.
The Chief Minister said that, the government had intended to widen the highway stretch from Singjamei to Canchipur to 45 metres, but could acquire the desired space.
The space could be acquired only from MU to Lilong, he added.
The colours red and green are not use to make two markings for the widening of the Tiddim Road, however, there may be differences of about a foot or half a foot along the widened portion, he continued.
Efforts are on to complete the road widening work soon and if anyone is yet to received compensation for the land acquisition, it will soon be looked at, Chief Minister Ibobi continued.
An alternative arrangement is also being looked for those vendors whose spot at the market shed of Kwakeithel bazar have been affected by the road widening process, he said.
