Imphal, May 23: The Transporters' and Drivers' Council, Manipur has urged the State Government to revoke its earlier decision to shift offices of the Directorate of Transport and DTO Imphal West and to instead construct the office of the SBI Secretariat branch there.

The decision of the Government to shift the office premises was issued on November 4 last year.

In a statement, the Council said that the Government had proposed to shift the said offices to the complex of the MSRTC at Moirangkhom and Mantripukhri and added that this is devoid of any logic.

The office of the DTO, Imphal West collects a huge amount of money for the Government and hence needs security.

The decision to shift it to Mantripukhri is not in the right direction, said the statement and added that it makes no sense to shift it to a plot of land which does not belong to it.

On the other hand the transporters have been urging the State Government to build a proper building for the DTO Imphal East over a plot of land at Palace Ground, which stands in the name of the DTO.

However instead of listening to the genuine demand of the transporters, the Government is trying to allot the said plot of land to the State Kala Academy, said the Council and added that this does not it is against the Academy as such but is just demanding that the office building of the DTO, Imphal East be built at the said plot of land.

Asserting that the State Government has been shabbily treating the Transport Department, the Council said that earlier it was allotted one/two room as its office at the Forest Department.

Later it was shifted to Palace Ground where payment of taxes proved to be a great handicap, it said and added that later on the office was shifted to Secretariat.

This move also greatly inconvenienced the transporters as entry was restricted.

Now just when the transporters are beginning to settle down at the new office, the Government is planning to shift it again, lamented the Council and warned that ignoring their plea will amount to inviting agitations.

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