Ukl MLA's inspects NH 202

 

Ukl MLAs inspected the National Highway 202 Yaingangpokpi-Finch corner Sector

(Expressed dismay over in ordinate delay of progress which has become terrible and torturous for travellers)

(Ukl MLA Ram Muivah )

UKHRUL,25th Jan'23: IN a significant development, the Ukl MLAs have voiced the mountain of grievances faced daily by travellers, particularly the Ukhrul and Kamjong districts as National Highway 202 is the lifeline for the two districts.

Ukhrul MLA Shri Ram Muivah while talking with this journalist on the sidelines of inspection of NH 202 sector from Yaingangpokbi to Finch Corner states that on the advice of Hon’ble CM Shri Biren Singh, he along with Kamjong MLA Shri Leishiyo Keishing, DC Ukhrul Krishna Kumar, NHIDCL officials led by Dharmendra Chaudhary Executive Director and his colleague Lt.Col.John Shelley General Manager, SDO Ukhrul Suranjoy  Singh and sub- contractor of National Highway construction started from Yaingangpokbi to Finch Corner NH- 202 sector.

We went to inspect, realising the terrible condition of the lifeline of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts. Yesterday, Hon’ble CM took a marathon meeting regarding the inordinate delay of the 2-lane widening of NH 202. On his advice, today starting at 7:30am we all went to inspect the road of NH-202 especially Yaingangpokpi to Finch Corner sector, which is one of the oldest NHs in Manipur, but we were all crestfallen, shocked and despaired at the terrible condition of the road. The entire stretch was full of dust and we were all enveloped by the dust. Imagine the condition of the people of Kamjong and Ukhrul district subjected to such excruciating and torturous travels almost every day.

We questioned the NHIDCL as to why the work which was awarded way back in 2018 even after lapse of 4 years, the road has not been blacktopped. The sub- contractor of NHIDCL has, of course, made lots of promises. We inspected their hot-mixed plant which is installed at TM Kasom We are happy that at least they have installed stone crusher and Hot Mixed Plant. They promised to start blacktopping work from 28th January '23. However, till date they have yet to mobilize Paver finisher and without paver finisher they can't do blacktopping. I hope that NHIDCL will keep their word and start the blacktopping from 28th January '23.

Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah further stated that in today's inspection all along the way there were, village chiefs and the affected families who complained that there were wrong cases of measurements, wrong surveys of the building and the standing structures, the land, the horticulture farm, Fishery Pond etc. I believe there are genuine cases of discrepancies and mistakes. Of course, we human are prone to mistakes. The Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul who was also present on the spot and advised the affected land owners who are not happy and satisfied with the survey/ measurement or who feel that some injustices had been done to them should approach the Arbitrator.  Recently, Mr. Devesh Deval, a senior IAS officer was appointed as an Arbitrator by the GOM.

They found the progress of the work extremely slow; the quality of the works was sub-standard & shoddy. On further enquiry, the sub-contractors who were present on the spot complained that they had not been paid by the contractor for the last 2 years. The Executive Director NHIDCL clarified that they had no knowledge of the sub-letting of the work and it is against the guidelines of NHIDCL to sublet without the prior approval of NHIDCL. NHIDCL had advised the sub- contractors to File FIR against the contractors.

The land owners at Shangkai, Mongkot Chepo, Litan Sareikhong, TM Kasom, Shokvao & Ramva complained that there were numerous mistakes, inconsistencies in the awards of compensation including awards to the wrong person, mistakes in the measurements and wrong identification of land owners. In particular, the landowners in Litan Sareikhong have not been paid at all till date. DC Ukhrul, who was present on the spot, promised to pay within 15 days compensation for the standing structures. However, as regards to land compensation, he reported that the matter was sub judice. The affected land owners are free to approach the Arbitrator through DC (CALA). Finally, they all agreed to allow NHIDCL to resume the work without any hindrance from Mahadev to Finch Corner pending the payment of compensation. 

Detailed inspection report will be submitted to the Hon’ble CM, Shri N.Biren Singh and we hope that NHIDCL and the sub- contractors will start the blacktopping from 28th  January as promised because our main concern is that in Manipur, given the heavy rain, the season for blacktopping is from November to March when there is no rain. If they missed the season, they missed the whole year.  I along with my colleague Hon’ble MLA Leishiyo Keishing will be submitting a detailed report of the inspection to the Hon’ble CM , Ukhrul MLA Ram added.