Guite Road crucial but repairs may start only around December

From M Kaimuanthang
LAMKA, Jun 1(IFP): There is a lot of stress on the Guite Road running through Churachandpur now, after the economic blockade on the two lifelines of the state NH-39 and NH-53, owing to political demands put before the state government along with other issues stemming from the socio-economic condition of the state. The state government is left trying to import daily essential commodities through any available source at the present moment.

Many a times the two main lifelines of the state are victims to the blockades and this time again the long drawn blockade has put the state government and the people also in a great problem. The only alternative to tide over such exigencies this time is considered to be the Guite Road which has been deteriorating due to prolonged neglect and ill-maintenance, a student union leader has pointed out.

A visit with the intent of carrying out a spot enquiry on the road conditions by this IFP correspondent has confirmed the fact that it is due largely to pothole filling and mud clearances carried out by a contractor, GS Haupu that the road could be traversed by truckers to bring in daily essential commodities along the road.

According to IFP's findings except the Tuivel River bridge most of the bridges are as of now in stable condition, though as many as 100 to 130 vehicles including light and heavy vehicles have passed along the road.

The Tuivel river bridge in the first place has not been constructed properly till date though it is supposed to be taken up by the BRTF/BRO who have promised that it will be completed very shortly once work begins. However, they have not been able to do so due to non-completion of procurement of the equipments and other materials required.

As a result many trucks have to take the diversion under the bridge requiring passages to be prepared on the river, which at many times made the vehicles stuck due to flooding of the river and other reasons. There is also a veritable threat that the vehicles could be carried away by the river water during such times.

The contractor has been using 4 JCBs, 10 trucks, and sufficient manpower by camping at two places, Bualjang and Khuanggin, and carrying out pothole mending and mud clearance at every place on the road stretch according to the requirements specified by a ministerial team which had gone and carried out a survey of the road on May 18.

As a result, many vehicles have taken to the road easily and passed over it without much difficulty till date. Though there are mudslides causing the vehicles to get stuck and unable to proceed, the road has been cleared by the workers using the JCBs which are used to push out the vehicles from the trouble spots.

According to sources, if even after the handing over of the road construction to the Ministry of Home Affairs/BRTF, the state government uses the former NEC balance funds of some crores and repairs the road using the whole amount then the road condition would be much better.

But according to a highly placed source, construction of the Guite Road will be started only around either December, 2010 or January, 2011 by the BRTF through the ministry of home affairs after it was handed over to them.

However, sources pointed out there are certain anomalies over the manner in which money is being sanctioned by the government according to which a piecemeal sanction is made as per distance coverage of about 20 km, and the next as per fund availability.

Right now it is the wish of the public that all the lifelines of the state are improved, especially so the Guite Road, so that they become alternative sources of passage in case of any eventualities.