Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 01 2009:
The ownership of National Highway-53, which is one of the lifelines of the people and is being developed by the Government with keen interest, is not with the Government.
On the other hand, road cutting and development of a new route that would lessen the distance from Imphal to Tamenglong district headquarters by 40 kms has been accomplished successfully under the Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
According to an official source, in 1962, the Works Department of the State Government had handed over the task of maintaining the 220 kms long National Highway, which is also known as New Cachar Road, to BRTF.
However, even after 47 years, the Government is yet to take over the road as well as the ownership of its land.
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As the required compensation had not been given in time to take ownership of the land by the Government, problems are likely to be faced at the time of evicting the houses and market places of the villages located on either sides of the road in connection with its expansion, the source said.
To take ownership of National Highway stretch covering over a distance of 163 kms starting from Tupul in Tamenglong district to Nungkhong Nullah located adjacent to Jiribam, the district administration has started taking up necessary measures, the source disclosed.
Apart from being one of the major factors responsible for recurrence of landslides, illegal quarrying activities at many places along the Highway have contributed to the present deplorable condition of the road, the source added.
On the other hand, under the Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), road cutting and development of a new route that would lessen the present 147 kms distance from Imphal to Tamenglong district headquarters by 40 kms has been carried out successfully.
Executed by the Manipur State Rural Road Development Agency, vehicular traffic along the new route that connects the district headquarters via Rangkhung village near Noney and Bhalok too has been thrown opened.
The villagers, however, have pointed out that black topping of the newly developed route and construction of a bridge over Irang river would help them all the more.