Wahengbam Leikai road construction Public to wait 3 yrs for completion
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 19 2011: The road stretch from Wahengbam Leikai bus parking to Ningthemcha Karong, which is also a State Highway, is to be constructed/repaired over a period of 3 years.

Talking to The Sangai Express in his office room, Chief Engineer of Public Works Department M Lokendro pointed out that with increase in traffic volume, there is the need for improvement and expansion of the road stretch from Wahengbam Leikai to Ningthemcha Karong, which is around 4 kms long, into four laned road.

Requisition of land in this regard have already been completed and PWD has started construction/repairing work along the road stretch since January, he said, adding that out of 14 crores sanctioned under Special Plan Assistance (SPA) for the purpose, Rs 4 cores have been released.

The officer explained that construction/repairing work of the road stretch is going to be a long process as the sluice and other muddy water from the ponds, latrines and drains of the earlier houses have to be first removed and filled with earth and stones before WBM could be applied.

In addition to this, the width of the road stretch excluding the water body portion of Nambul river has to be at least 30 metres.

PWD wants to complete the road work at the earliest possible.

But it may not be possible.

Because, PHED has to first of all shift the location of the existing water pipelines at the road side while the existing electric poles have to be re-located beyond the road side drain by the Electricity Department.

Moreover, the development work of Nambul river being carried out by IFCD have to be completed first before PWD could take up any work full-fledgedly.

People settling on either sides of the road stretch may wonder why construction of the road is to take so long.

But the public should understand that without any proper planning and execution, the condition of the road would deteriorate, resulting to the same old story, the Chief Engineer said.

The road stretch from Wahengbam Leikai to Ningthemcha Karong is to be upgraded into four-lane and there would be proper road medians.

As of now only one special contractor has been engaged for the work, the officer added.

It is said that the total length of State Highways that have been entrusted to PWD for maintenance in Manipur is 12618 while that of National Highways is 959 kilometres.

On the other hand, according to another source, plans are also afoot for expansion of the road stretch from Keishampat to Kwai Keithel Bazar into 30 metre.

However, requisition of land in this connection is yet to be started but PDA has already started the process of measuring the required land portion for the road expansion.

This is essential from the point of the proposed flyover bridge to be constructed from the southern wall of Governor's residence to Keishampat bridge.

The project for construction of the fly-over, however, is yet to be finalised.

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