The Village Councils of Wahong and Soraphung, along with the student bodies including Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL) and Northern Raphei Students’ Union (NRSU), have demanded the immediate rectification of serious flaws in the ongoing construction of the Wahong-Soraphung road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Package No. MN09151 Phase IX.
Wahong and Soraphung is located in the remote north of Manipur’s Ukhrul district.
The aggrieved parties also demanded the authorities concerned to complete the project which is pending for over three years, without further delay as the said two villages are inhabited by poor inhabitants of the border region..
The construction project, which began in 2019, was scheduled for completion in 2020. However, more than three years have passed since the deadline and tangible progress is still nowhere to be found, Pomi Zimik, secretary of Wahong Village Council, stated during a press conference held at RKL office, Wino Tang in the heart of Ukhrul town on Friday.
Stressing on their concerns, the five-year maintenance period from 2020 to 2025 is nearing expiry, he continued, adding that they have raised concern among the locals, who fear the impact of the project may be further extended.
In view of the urgency demanded by the situation, Zimik urged the relevant authorities to promptly look into the matter and exert pressure on the construction agency to complete the project without further delay, as the situation demanded.
He then called for strict compliance to the guidelines set forth by the PMGSY in the construction process.
Zimik also pointed out that on top of inordinate delay, the construction agency has also grossly compromised the quality of the work.
He said that in a deviation from the norms, bitumen, which should be applied over a secure shingling base, was carelessly laid directly onto dusty boulders.
The project included 15 retaining walls and 9 breast walls but none of these structures have been constructed.
Meanwhile, Soraphung Village Council (SVC) chairman Meliba highlighted that due to non-completion of the road, the villagers of the region which shares borders with Manipur’s neighboring state Nagaland on the western side and Myanmar on the eastern flank are facing undue hardships in their daily life.
Blacktopping had only been completed on a few segments of the 15 kms stretch, and even those sections lacked proper quality maintenance. Grass has grown through the asphalt, highlighting the poor workmanship, neglect and lack of quality in the construction.
Despite personal inspection by an Executive Engineer (EE) from the department concerned, witnessing the substandard work quality, no corrective measures have been taken to improve the situation or accelerate project progress, Meliba mentioned.
Briefing media persons during the press conference on Friday, RKL president Paomi Khaveishang, an apex student bodies of northern student union, warned that until and unless authorities concerned take prompt action to ensure both the quality and timely completion of the construction project, RKL will be compelled to launch stringent agitations.
He further stressed that public patience is now wearing thin and that further inaction on the authorities concerned part will leave them no choice but to pursue more drastic measures.
On July 18, the Village Councils of Wahong and Soraphung, along with the student bodies of Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL) and Northern Raphei Students’ Union (NRSU) conducted a joint inspection of the ongoing construction and found the work to be of low quality.
It’s learnt that the Manipur State Road Development Agency (MSRRDA) awarded the 15.00 km road construction project to S.N. Pavei.
The project, estimated at Rs. 528.93 lakh, is being executed by the Engineering and Project Implementation Unit II (EE/PIU-II) under the Rural Economic Development (RED) department.
As per the guidelines, construction was to commence on February 28, 2019, with a projected completion date of August 27, 2020. The contractor is supposed to provide maintenance for a period of five years, beginning on August 28, 2020, and ending on August 27, 2025.
