Imphal, October 21: Even though State Government is actively pursuing development of Imphal-Jiribam route major section of which lays within Tamenglong district representatives of various organisations of haochong Range desired that the Kangchup-Tamenglong Road (KT Road) be developed to shorten the distance on either side.

Prolong negligence of the 76 kilometre KT road by the State authorities had not only denied several villages located along the said route from easy accessibility to the capital district as well as to Tamenglong district headquarters but failure of Government to develop KT road reflects lack of vision, observed the members during a media briefing organised by Haochong Range Students' organisation at Manipur Press Club today.

The KT Road, dotted by several villages, was charted and developed by the British soldiers during World War-II as the shortest route connecting Tamenglong and Imphal, they informed while expressing awe at successive State Govt failing to explore and utilise the shortest possible way to Tamenglong which currently requires negotiating through 135 kilometres on the NH-53.Villages located along the KT Road are Kangchup Chingkhong, Kangchup Chiru, Polend, Konchim, Waphong/Talamlong, Pungmon, Ijeirong, Oktan, Haochong, Bakwa, Macheng, Kabui Khullen, Khundong, Khumji/Lukhambi, Wairongba/Matung, Khebaching/Puching and Bhalok/Phalong Pt-II&III enroute to Tamenglong district headquarters.

Maintaining that these villages are rich in agricultural products but due to bad condition of the road most of the local goods fail to reach Imphal markets, they said.

The representatives also highlighted that whether on prefers IT road or NH-53 reaching Tamenglong district requires at the average travelling more than 150 kms they insisted that State Government introspect its road development policy in the general interest of the Tamenglong public and consider KT Road which had been laying untended for nearly 50 years.

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