EE dismisses

IMPHAL, Jun 24: Water Resources Department has dismissed allegations made by the Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs Manipur (FATYCM) that huge amounts sanctioned for construction of Chadong-Ramrei road had been withdrawn without completing the work in cahoots with the contractor concerned while the Lok Sabha election model code of conduct was in force.
Speaking to media persons yesterday, the Thoubal Multipurpose Project Division II (Water Resources Department) Executive Engineer dismissed all the allegations of FATYCM as baseless.
Chadong-Ramrei road is around 4 Kms long and laying of WBM was completed for 2 Kms on Ramrei side about two years back.
Mounds of tiny gravels found piled up on the road side by a team FATYCM are for the remaining 2 Kms where WBM layer has not been laid. Preparations are on to lay WBM for the remaining 2 Kms too, said the EE.
Work order for constructing the remaining 2 Kms was allotted to first class contractor A Ningthemjao of Canchipur in September 2017 and the work programme’s name is ‘Improvement of right side high level road from RD 9.56 Km to RD 11.56 Km up to the stage of WBM’.
Just as shingling was started for construction of the remaining portion about 18 months back, one organisation imposed restrictions which delayed the work till date.
In addition, there were small incidents of land slide from the adjoining hills.
As the road wears out frequently due to movement of sand/stone loaded trucks, the department has been repairing it every now and then, said the EE.
The total liability (estimated cost) entitled to contractor Ningthemjao is Rs 72.96 lakh but the full amount has not been released yet as the work is still incomplete.
An amount of Rs 33.96 lakh was released in March this year with due approval of Finance Department, he clarified.
The department has instructed the contractor to complete the road construction work at the earliest possible time, added the EE.