Unable to bear the heavy smoke of dust caused by the ongoing Tamenglong-Khongsang road expansion work that cuts through the Tamenglong town, civil societies and the public at large have been expressing serious concern over health hazards posed by it to the people living in the area, and dissatisfaction at the poor quality work.
In view of the deplorable road condition, Shivalaya Road Construction Pvt Ltd, which is engaged in the Rs 300-crore Tamenglong-Khongsang road expansion work in Manipur, had given its assurance on November 16, 2021 to blacktop the Tamenglong town road before Christmas, December 25, 2021. And, it may be mentioned that the road stretch from Tamenglong to Khongsang is only 39 km.
However, there’s no end to the plight of the people, as Shivalaya company failed to deliver its assurance to the people of the district.
The heavy dust pollution caused by the incomplete double-lane road construction and delaying of black topping of the new road cutting in the residential area from zero km to 6 km Khongjaron 5th Manipur Rifles Gate is increasingly causing health hazards and immense hardship for the people in the district headquarters area, particularly for those residing close to the road.
“Why has Shivalaya company not delivered its promise of blacktopping our roads by December 2021? We are already into the third day of 2022 and see no sign of the road construction workers starting any work. We have been literally living in a stone quarry-like situation for the past year, choking in dust and developing respiratory diseases,” a resident lamented.
Questioning the authority concerned and the road construction company how long the people must suffer due to lack of basic infrastructural facility, she said, “If you cannot complete the work in time, please give us back our 'bad roads without the dust'. There is a limit to our level of tolerance”.
Besides, during an inspection by a media team along with a youth wing in the district, low quality black-topping was found at several portions of the double-lane Tamenglong-Khongsang road. In some portions, it was found that the construction company filled the pot holes with cemented sand.
(PHOTO: IFP)
Shivalaya company vehicles have been plying frequently to and fro carrying road construction materials along the Tamenglong town road, throwing up heavy dust pollution and creating potholes in the process.
Pointing out that works at several portions are left incomplete without properly attending to it, youth wing leader Jacob Gangmei, leading the inspection team, appealed to the concerned contractor to fix all the worn out black topping and maintain quality in the interest of the general public.
Earlier, during the November 16 meeting between the Shivalaya company and the Traders Association Tamenglong held to address the problem, TP Pantithan, vice president, Traders Association, stressed upon the need for high quality road construction work.
“Smoke and dust blowing through the town from the under-construction road is posing health hazards to the public… Tamenglong town is an accident prone area. High quality blacktopping of the road can help avert road mishap,” Pantithan said. And, Reddy Nagha Bhushan, company project coordinator, had said during the said meeting that Shivalaya was trying to complete Tamenglong-Khongsang road double lane construction by June 2022.
It may be mentioned that the double-lane Tamenglong-Khongsang road construction work is funded by the Union Road, Transport and Highway Ministry. The people in Tamenglong have been silently bearing all inconveniences, patiently waiting for the completion of the road. During the rainy months, the incomplete road construction causes a flood situation, while at other times, people have to face dust storms and heavy air pollution throughout the year.
