Manipur: Shangshak-Tengnoupal to get two-lane highway, villagers demand quality assurance
Manipur: Shangshak-Tengnoupal to get two-lane highway, villagers demand quality assurance
Digital Desk: After a five-decade wait, the much-anticipated Shangshak-Tengnoupal road building project will finally begin. The locals have praised the initiative of both the central and state governments, but they have also issued a strong warning against compromising the project's quality.
Representatives from 25 villages along the route held a combined meeting in reaction to the government's approval to widen National Highway 102A from Shangshak to Tengnoupal into a two-lane road with a hard shoulder.
As a result, the United Senior Citizens Forum (USCF) of 43 Phungyar AC was established to monitor and advocate for the project's integrity.
The project's implementation and monitoring were discussed at the meeting with village chiefs and secretaries from Phaleng, Leishi, Koso, Shangshak, Tangkhul Hundung, Sorde, Phungyar, Leiting, Meileng, Sohko, Alang, Khambi, Shoratheng, Parbung, Sorbung, Lehonglo, and Monthou, among other villages.
In an interview with the media, USCF Secretary David Zimik underlined the importance of the NH 102A project, saying that its completion would improve connectivity, ease economic growth, and raise living standards in Kamjong district and the state of Manipur as a whole.
He did, however, voice concerns about possible concessions in building quality and advised contracting firms to avoid quoting rates lower than the project's tender cost since this could result in poor execution.
Zimik underlined that vying below a project's sanctioned cost might result in poor-quality infrastructure, as demonstrated in Manipur, where projects granted at 20-30% below expected prices caused delays and deterioration.
To avoid this, 25 communities have decided to reject contractors who bid below the sanctioned cost for the Shangshak-Tengnoupal project.
The decision has been sent to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, MoRTH Secretary, Governor of Manipur, Chief Secretary, NHIDCL Managing Director, and PWD Chief Engineer. Villagers have issued a strong warning: failure to meet quality criteria may result in the project being permanently banned by local communities along NH 102A.
