People in Manipur force suspension of ‘sub-standard’ road construction

Imphal, Dec 26 (IANS) Angry people and civil societies in Tamenglong district in Manipur have forced suspension of the "sub-standard" construction of a road from Tuesday, officials said.

The suspension of the construction works was announced to reporters on Tuesday by B.P. Athui, president of Zeliangrong Union, Tamenglong and some other civil organisations.

In the presence of photographers and reporters, the activists peeled off patches of blacktoppings under construction, along the 40-km-long Tamenglong-Khongkhang road.

Athui said there was no engineer or any responsible official at the under-construction road. The blacktopping was done by unskilled labourers over the un-swept dirt.

Activists said all roads in Tamenglong district have been in a sorry condition and many innocent lives were lost in fatal road accidents.

They said the "suspension of the construction works shall remain in effect till something positive is hammered out".

Opposition Congress leaders say that there have been similar suspensions in all road constructions throughout the state. It shows that "huge amounts sanctioned by the Centre are not properly used", some activists pointed out.

They also expressed disappointment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state over the construction of sub-standard roads.

Works Minister Thongam Biswajit said: "Since the formation of the BJP-led government in March this year, no construction works could be done due to rains and four floods. We had started the construction works only a few weeks back".

Both Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Biswajit did not comment on the increasing public complaints against sub-standard construction in several districts.

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