Transporters and Drivers Council (TDC) Manipur on Tuesday demanded the government to spell out whether it will repair the NH-37. Normal vehicular traffic along the Imphal-Jiribam section of NH-37 remained suspended after a bailey bridge on Irang River collapsed on November 1.
The driver of the loaded truck that fell into the river after the bridge collapse is also yet to be traced.
Addressing a press conference in Imphal, TDC expressed dissatisfaction with the manner of the repairing work of the bridge and demanded the state government to clarify who is actually manning the highway, whether National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) or the state PWD.
If the state government fails to clarify the responsible authority manning the highway by Wednesday, the TDC will be compelled to take up its own course of action.
TDC president H Ranjit alleged that none of the officials of the concerned authorities of the state government looked into the present conditions of the highway. He also said officials of the PWD have also remained silent even as hundreds of loaded trucks remained stranded and the driver of the truck that fell into the river is still missing.
The state government should clarify who, whether NHIDL or state PWD, will be responsible for manning the diversion road while alleging that none of them so far clarify on the matter.
After the bridge collapsed that cut-off the highway, the state government is looking for using Imphal-Bishnupur-Khoupum via Rengpang section of Old Cachar road for vehicular traffic until the repairing of the collapsed bridge.
Since the day of the collapse of the bridge, TDC has been pressing the authorities to ensure completion of the bridge repairing work before the Ningol Chakouba.
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