Imphal, August 25 2010: Amidst reports that the the Central government has refused to handover maintenance work on NH 53 to the state PWD, the Transporters' and Drivers' Council today threatened that they will stop plying on the highway if the road maintenance work taken up by the PWD is stopped.

While informing that the current road repairing work on NH 53 is being taken by the PWD using over 80 vehicles of the department, President of TDC, H Ranjit said that once the PWD stops the work, the repairing works would come to a total halt which would compel the TDC to suspend vehicle service on this route.

The repairing work on the stretch of the road from Keimai to Nungba is being taken up by the PWD using around 80 vehicles of its own including dozers, JCPs and tippers.

Without the support of these vehicles, it will not be possible to cover even a kilometer of the stretch as the condition of the road is woefully bad, Ranjit said.

If the state PWD happens to take a decision to withdraw its manpower and machinery following the decision of the Central government for the BRO to continue handling the maintenance work of the highway for another three years, they will also stop plying vehicles on this route, he warned.

He expressed disappointment at the Centre announcement to allow BRO service on the highway for another three years.

He also flayed the working of the BRTF on the stretch from Nungba to Kaimai.

They are doing the repairing work using only four JCBs, three poclains and 14 tippers.

Continuation of BRO work on this highway and handing over Rs 200 crore to them is only to losse the funds without actual work being done, he observed.

While the PWD is using its full manpower and machinery, BRO has not spared a single vehicle to take part in the repairing works.

TDC is distraught on seeing the condition of the road under BRO since it was declared as a National Highway in 1980 .

The BRO maintained the road only at selected inhabited areas but neglected other stretches of the road.

The blacktopping work on the stretch from Keimai to Nungba is unsatisfactory and there was no quality control.

They do the blacktopping with shingle, he went on to observe.

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