Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct. 8 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh on Sunday announced that the government has taken up improvement and repair of various roads under the “emergency work” as provided in the Central Public Works Department Works’ manual as an immediate step.
Speaking to reporters at a hurriedly called press conference here this afternoon, Singh said that five times of flooding in five months have resulted in widespread damage of roads in the state soon after the new government’s ‘free potholes initiative’ when almost all the potholes were repaired during the 100-day programme.
Now soon after the monsoon withdrew, the Public Works Department (PWD) has started repairing work on various roads across the state, he said.
A Whatsapp group has also been created for officials to ensure that quality is maintained during construction, Singh said. Complaints can be lodged through the Grievance Cell or Anti-Corruption Cell or directly to the PWD chief engineer.
The CM also informed that he would inspect the condition of the Imphal-Jiribam sector of the National Highway 37 during his foundation stone dedicating programs for two new bridges above the Barak and Makru Rivers at Barak area in Tamenglong district, which will be performed on October 12.
Speaking about the significance of ‘Imphal Evenings’-a weekend night plaza along the Kangla moat roadside in Imphal, he said a meeting was held for the regulation of road traffic, electrification, vehicles parking etc. for a ‘better and beautiful’ Imphal Evening which has been opened for three hours from 7pm onwards every Saturday and Sundays. He appealed to the people to avoid throwing garbage on roads and not to litter the areas. The chief minister expressed happiness that the people ‘have civic sense’ to make the city clean.
The CM said that he wants to develop at least three artificial football grounds considering the football talents in the state besides introducing a floodlighting system at Khuman Lampak main stadium and hockey stadiums soon. He said to have approached the Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore to set up a regional football academy in Manipur. The Union minister responded positively during a recent meeting in Delhi, he added. On the other hand, he instructed officials to look for a suitable grazing site for ponies after the ponies started venturing out onto roads in search of food.
