Hand over NH-37 to the Army and save Manipur Imphal-Jiri road (NH-37)

Dr Th Suresh *

Pathetic / Deplorable section of NH-37 connecting Imphal and Jiribam on May 09 2015 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

Hand over NH-37 to the Army and save Manipur Imphal-Jiri road (NH-37):
Crore per km. money spinning road now consuming 70 crore per year maintenance. Hand over this to the Army and save Manipur

Background : This problematic road was inaugurated in May 1972. At that time, the journey took around 10 hours. 4/5 years back in the rainy season, it took 1-4 days for one journey alone. It was reported that Rs. 225 crore were earmarked for this road, that means over 1 crore per km. It is probably under BRO/BRTF since 1998-99. Cl. D.S.Samat, overall i/c of the road, told your writer on 25/5/2015 that Rs.70 crore per year is spent for maintenance for the last 4 yrs. With Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari claiming road construction pace of 14 km/day in 2014-15 against Congress’s 2 km/day in 2013-14 in a statement on 28/5/2015 at New Delhi, Manipur’s snail pace of the road deserves a special price.

2. Various visits by NGOs :

i) A respected women’s organization even met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi twice around 2009-10; they were assured that the NH will be completed on schedule.

ii) The Truck owners’ association visited this road on 20/6/2011. Seeing the condition of the NH, it challenged the authority that it cannot be completed in 2013, but may complete by 2030. Years down the line, the Asson. revisited many times, even repaired some portion by their own, lodged many complaints but to no effect.

iii) Information Centre for Hill Areas, Manipur (ICHAM) visited the NH on 14th-16th September, 2011. It met BRTF commander B.N. Jadav who told the team that some portion of the highway was handed over to ABC India Ltd. and Gautam construction. The team found only 17 labourers working at Combiron, and stated that the highway cannot be completed by 2040. ICHAM’s 2nd visit was on 4-5th December 2011.

They challenged the authority that the Highway cannot be completed in another 10 years, and challenged that with a few labourers working, where were 4.64 crore per year labour charges gone? In spite of all these glaring deflects, commander Jadava stated that the Highway will be completed by December, 2013. What a fascinating reply? They also revisited the road many times and submitted many memos to the authority, but to no effect again.

iv) Protection and preservation Committee, Manipur, visited the site on 14/10/2014, met and discussed the condition with Works Minister Ratankm. who assured them that he will take up the matter with Union Minister Gadkari to complete the same by March 2014.They also threatened complete blockade of the road in case of non-fulfillment.

v) State BJP president Th. Chaoba and his team visited the road on 8/1/2015, met BRTF officials and declared afterwards to the press who accompanied them that the promise to complete it by March 2015 is a great bluff by the company. Chaoba further added that he would be leaving for Delhi on 15th to apprise PM and Surface Transport Minister. But Chaoba’s cry from the roof-top remained a mere speculation.

3. Visit/action taken report by the authority :

i) The Joint Monitoring Committee on NH-37 formed under the directive of Hon’ble Gauhati High Court visited the Highway 1st in August 2011 and 2nd on 18th-19th December 2011, and found that only 156-200 labourers were working. On 30th April 2012, it submitted a report to the Gauhati High Court. But surprisingly, the details were not disclosed.

ii) A high level meeting at New Delhi presided by Home Minister Chidambaram along with CM Ibobi and BRO Officials on 21st December 2010 stated that there will be a worthy road by February 2011.

iii) A review meeting by Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh on 25/4/2012 at New Delhi found disappointing progress with only 620 labourers working on the NH. It gave many instructions to the BRO.

iv) New PWD Minister Dr. Ratankm visited for Highway on 7th May, 2012 and expressed his anxiety over the progress. The Minister instructed the BRO officials to complete it before rainy season. Thereafter, the minister re-visited the scene many times with many assurances to the public. v) On 12th May, 2012, the Minister of State for Defence Pallum Raju visited the Highway by road and told the reporters that it will be completed by December 2013 as planned. The visit was accompanied by CM Ibobi and his colleagues. It was a very welcome development, but with no result.

4. What the BRTF officials told the writer during this visit :

i) Mr. Sagar, i/c at Rengphang, told your writer on 24/05/2015 that only 110-112km, 120-122km and 125-128 km. remained un-repaired. To a query about insufficient deployment of labourer, he replied that only machinery works remained, and hence not much labourer is deployed. He further added that about 4 days work is required for 1km stretch, and the whole stretch will be completed by March 2015.

ii) Cl. D.S.Samat, overall i/c of Imphal-Jiri road since 10/Dec/ 2013, told me in his office at Jiribam on 25/05/2015 that the areas mentioned above by Mr. Sagar + 7 km. stretch up-down of Makru River is left incomplete. For the 7 km., he got sanction 2 months back. He further added that work for Makru River is almost complete. To my query of other bad small bridges + bad areas which was maintained badly, he replied that all will be completed, including the 7 km. stretch, by March next year.

To my further query regarding the tender of the other 2 main bridge ( Irung and Barak ) Samat replied that estimates costing 30 and 60 crore were submitted to the transport Ministry 2 years back, but it was rejected informing them that the Ministry will undertake the work by its own. He further added that the revised estimate will be a minimum of 100 crore each now and 2 years will be needed to complete the 2 bridges by any implementing agency.

When further pressed, he replied that there is no derth of fund and 70 crore is the spent amount for maintenance of this road per year for the last 4 years. Mr. Smat’s genuine complaint is that Manipur Govt. had not supplied stone/stone quarry in time in spite of repeated request previously leading to delayed work. He further added that now BSNL underground cable work is undergoing in completed areas disturbing the work/ digging the completed portions. He is also bitter about the media and other people who only criticize BRTF but never ever helped them including the state Govt.

5. My own findings :

i) bad roads- according to the 2 officers, the bad roads consist of only 15 km or so. What they probably meant is very very bad areas. This is not so practically. My own findings are:
a) before Awang khunaw to Irang-18km
b) Khongsang to Reng pang-4km,
c) Rengpang-Nungba-4km
d) Nungba-Kombiron-3km,
e) Nung Dolan nearby-1km
f) Makru up & down-7km (2km towards Imphal & 5km towards Jiri) and,
g) other remaining areas at different places-18 km. Hence, sum total will be at least about 55 km : very bad-about 12 km (f + some portion of a-e), moderately bad where no black top is seen-about 25km (a-e ) and bad-about 18km (g). In short, about 1/4th of the total 221 km road requires immediate repair/ primary work.

ii) The 7 km up-down Makru bridge is not repaired since 2004 in spite of so many halla-gulla/noises by the public and many organizations as told to me by one Tata Sumo driver towards Jiri journ ey. He is in service since 2004 and the oldest one (a Muslim brother), he told me so while waiting those Tata queue just before Makru bridge. When I put up this matter to Cl. Samat at Jiri, he confirmed the same; when pressed about the reason he stated the coming up Tipaimukh Dam as the main reason. On further query why BRTF should worry for the uncertain Dam and who told them to delay, he replied that someone told so. I did not press him further as I am not an investigating journalist.

iii) All 3 main bridges are single lane + 15 or so small bridges are also found to be single lane ones (except 2/3 nos.). This shows bad planning and management, and lack of monitoring and persuasion from our state Govt. iv) many small bridges are found in bad shape requiring immediate repair and good maintenance. v) During my return journey, only 4/4/5 labourers are found working in 3 places in the whole stretch of the famous road.

6. Suggestions:

i) Financial mismanagement: Where had this 70 crore per yr. x 4 yrs. (280 crore) gone is to be seriously investigated as the road is certainly not maintained/badly maintained throughout the year. Previously, it was also reported that 41 crore were sanctioned in 1998-99 with no work executed; the report further suggested that the centre had investigated it with BRO officials. Nothing is heard afterwards. Why should corruption free PM Modi Govt. allow a central agency i.e. BRTF to be a money spinning machine in an already corruption infested Manipur?

ii) 2-lane proposal : The position of 2 main bridges (except Makru) be found out from Mr. Gadkari (i/c Surface Transport & Highways) and request for speedy work with conversion into 2-lane. Similarly another approval for construction of another one lane Makru bridge be requested.

iii) Request for conversion of the 15 or so small bridges into 2-lane be also made, This can be done without disturbing the present functioning ones. The new ones be constructed on the side with provision to join together later. In those bad bridges, new 2-lane can be constructed afresh.

iii) Visit of Union Ministers & dignitaries : Nowadays, under Modi, many union ministers are visiting the state every month; not only that, party president Amit Shah and general secretary Ram Madhab also visited the state. Why all those societies are not meeting them, press them to visit the road and extract a commitment? Still, we have so many opportunities; hence, our civil societies and intellectuals should meet the visiting ministers and dignitaries and apprise them the factual condition of the road and the financial misappropriation.

iv) Role of state Govt. : What is basically lacking is the state Government’s inability to coordinate and monitor it properly; it should give the requirements as demanded by Cl. Samat rightly and encourage him also time to time with frequent related meetings with Union Ministry officials. His point of only criticism without supporting BRTF is a valid one requiring serious consideration by the state govt.

The state authorities are not able to point out the deficiencies as pointed out at ii) above i.e. double lane, condition of small bridges, no maintenance with only crore dumping and dumping. They are not able to suggest alternatives. We have to blame our PWD officials for this, what role the Minister and Engineers take requires serious discussion.

With a highly qualified Minister in the Chair, why it is happening itself is a mystery. Every time and for everything, we cannot blame our CM repeatedly. v) Role of state BJP unit : Chaoba & co should immediately take up this road with Gadkari. I had met Gadkari thrice and found him swift and action oriented. It is a matter of reminding him frequently; by doing so, the state unit will be doing a great service to the people. vi) Close the highway for 3 months (Oct-Dec), hand over the road to BRTF with a stern warning to complete it within the period.

Heaven will not fall down to Manipur by this closure as Imphal-Demapur road can easily bear the burden up. By this last stroke, BRTF bluff can be called off and the road can be completed well in time, and lastly

vii) Hand over to Army : If BRTF can’t complete as suggested above, the road be handed over to the Army as a last option. Indian Army can complete the same within 6 months with high standard bitumen and others. But, will our political masters have the gut for this perusal and subsequent follow up? This suggestion was given in my earlier write-ups which were published in this column as well as in Hueiyen Lanpao 2/3 years back.

Conclusion : All of us are on the same page – unable to monitor properly, unable to communicate properly and not knowing where and when to communicate. It is time that all NGOs and intellectuals stop fighting for a publicity space by calling a press meet at press club and then disappear forever. It is time to turn to the real business side. At present the scenario is not appetizing. However, hope remains if suggestions above are followed.