My journey to Lamphel : Pot - holes road - vs - State PWD

M Manihar *

The state of a road leading towards the market at Lamphel in 2011

Already, I have written a more or less similar topic in this column as a wake-up-cum-clarion call to the concerned Deptt, here the 'swipe' to the PWD-alias-Works Deptt., but more seemingly that could not penetrate in the stone-deaf ears of the babudoms who are not alive to their obligatory responsibilities and works with a sheer forgetting of ethos and negligence of the binding duties.

This morning, while I was travelling in a maruti car with a perturbed mind bestowed by the detestable conditions of the roads stretching from my home to Lamphel officers' colony where a Sr. IAS officer who is currently working as a Principal Secretary holding as many as 3/4 major Deptts. under the Govt. of Manipur, is staying.

At the setting off my journey, the pathetic and deplorable condition of the road insight, while I was travelling from my home-via-DDK, Porompat leading to the main road near NRL oil pump, Khurai Thangjam Leikai is better to be skipped of any comment since the road-stretch is fit to be plied over only by trucks, tractors, transport vehicles etc.

On proceeding further, I came across the condition of the road stretching from the Khoyathong Traffic point (Western) to the service road of Nagamapal Kangjabi Leirak, a distance of about 200 metres which is just behind the PWD is now in a horrible condition awaiting for a major repair with black topping. Here, only the word "indescribable" can be termed for the deploring road condition.

While coming back from office, I came across large pot-holes between the Khoyathong Traffic island and DM College gate which is within a stone's throw from the PWD. If such things behind or at the nose of the PWD are allowed to remain so or like anything, what would be the condition/situation of those roads stretching a little far away from the Imphal town, to bit, Sagolband, Uripok, Thangmeiband, Wangkhei to cite a few.

Then, I travelled through a deep squandrel like pot-holes between the Bakliwal oil pump and the Hotel Classic, being it the lone 5 star hotel and the first of its kind in the state.

The pot-holes at the western mouth of the Minuthong bridge which has now become an artillery line because of being the Sanjenthong under construction at a fast pace setting its target of completion and commissioning before the Sangai Festival, normally held in the later part of November every year, is very unfortunate.

The condition of the road as witnessed from the Ananda Singh Hr. Secondary Academy, New Chekon to Telipati Pujah Lampak may not be fit to be termed as pot-holes since the vast broken portions almost deeply loosing out all the stones just like a shallow pond is on the imperilled condition and calling for immediate major repair.

But, here a most appropriate Quote - "My brother while he was travelling for fuelling his Honda Activa few days back, met an avoidable accident, if timely action was taken by the PWD, near the Citizen Club, Soibam Leikai at the time of passing through a vast size-water-covered spot. The accident not only makes his Activa turned turtle, also makes him an inmate in the JNIMS where his forehead get stitched and CT scanned since his head was injured serverely thereby contributing him few thousands of rupee for no fault of him-here whom to go the blame, really heady to muse-but most blameworthily and responsibly be swiped to the Public Worrying Deptt. (PWD). Then few metres short of the Telipati Pujah Lampak, I came across a much similar scenario as if the situation near the citizen ground.

The condition adorning at the road between Khurai Lamlong Bazar to the service road of ML A Y. Irabot Singh leading to JNIMS is grotty awaiting for a major repair since the situation of the road there is not friendly for driving with 3rd & 4th gears, let alone the 5th gear, for a short distance. Here, "ineffable" will be the only word to be termed for the detestable road condition.

While driverting the holes, collision in any form like-head to head, more frequently from behind and side to side are occured leading to scuffle of the two for no fault of them.

Nowadays, it has become a habit and normal practice in all the rotten sections of our society that obligatory works are discharged only after agitations in the form of bandh, dharna, road-block etc. are launched by the public. As long as this practice is on, the comfort movement of the public would be a far cry.

It would be in the fitness of things as well as in the larger interest of the public if the pot-holes are attended to timely mending the same at the time of teething and nascent stage instead of awaiting a major repair with black topping of the whole length and stretch which has been draining out a stupendous amount from the unhealthy state's exchequere. If done so, the travellers could be ensured smooth and comfortable movement between the whole period of two major repairs. Here, it may rightly be pointed out that after a major repair, we could normally get about 2/3 years of comfortable movement, but the its later part is better not to be stretched away any longer since this column is not spacious enough to depict the whole scenario.

As every layman and denizen knows, after privatisation of the Electricity Deptt., we are now getting power supply far better & longer than the earlier period while the Power Deptt. was run by the State Govt.

Here, it appears to be better that if the PWD is privatised as done in the case of Eletricity Deptt. Then, it is sure that public could get comfortable and smooth movement through out the whole length of period between the two major repairs.

Lastly, it would be in the interest of public if a separate division is opened in the PWD to exclusively deal with the pot-holes christening as Potholes Works Division (PWD).