Imphal. May 12 MNS NNN : Union Minister of State for Defense Pallam Raju inspected the progress of work on National Highway 37 along with the chief minister and home minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi and Gaikhangam, today.
The union minister of state for defense reached Imphal today around 9 am and, accompanied by the chief minister and the home minister of Manipur, inspected the progress of work along the Imphal – Silchar road which is under the maintenance of the Border Road Organization (BRO).
Around 50 km of the highway from Imphal to Noney was done by road and then the union minister visited Tamenglong by a helicopter.
The comments of the visiting union minister of state could not be known as there was no chance of interacting with him by media persons. The union minister of state is reported to have left for Delhi around 4:30 pm after inspecting the progress of work along the National Highway 37.
It may be mentioned here that Pallam Raju visited Manipur earlier to inspect the progress of work along the National Highway 37 as there were discontent expressed by the state government as well as civil society organizations, but the inspection could not be carried by road due to inclement weather then.
It has been alleged by transporters unions plying their vehicles along this highway that the progress of work is very slow with inadequate number of labourers being employed by the BRO and that the work along this highway which has assumed the importance of being the lifeline of the state would not be complete before the rainy season starts.
The Manipur state public works department has also claimed that they can do the job of repairing and maintaining the National Highway 37 better and faster than the BRO.
Meanwhile PIB DW said MM Pallam Raju, Rajya Raksha Mantri concurrence was accorded by DGMO (MO4) to construct road by BRO from Longdipabram to Tamenglong. BRO has completed the survey and will be constructing the road shortly.
Raju was earlier scheduled to visit the village on 11 Apr 2012 but couldn’t take off due to bad weather conditions. RRM is desirous of traversing NH 53 by road to Tamenglong and back to understand the actual road conditions.
The minister undertook the visit with in special consideration for the village which has reached out to the Army for reconciliation. Several programmes have been launched to wean away the people from Militancy as a special initiative by the minister including a Bamboo Mission and Horticultural mission in Tamenglong for which he had written to Minister for Science and Tech and Agri Min. BRO was tasked by RRM to complete the road.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cm-ibobi-hm-gaikhangam-mos-def-raju-inspect-nh-37/
