Imphal-Dimapur highway cut off near Maram 10 days set for building new road

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 24: Imphal-Mao section of NH-2 has been totally cut off after a 50 metre long portion sank at Khongnem Thana, about 15 Kms away from Maram last evening.
With the highway cut off, transportation of essential commodities to the State has been brought to a grinding halt.
A new road must be constructed in place of the sunken 50 metres long portion but it is said that construction of the new road may take around 10 days.
Additional Chief Secretary P Vaiphei, PWD (National Highway Division) Additional Chief Engineer T Robindro and SE Y Joykumar inspected the sunken portion today.
As BIPL has been constructing the highway from Mao to Koubru Leikha, BIPL officials who came to the spot were told that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been asked to provide necessary fund for construction of a new stretch of highway in place of the sunken portion from its disaster management fund.
It is being speculated that cutting and construction of a new stretch of road on the side of Khongnem Thana village would take around 10 days. As such, it is being considered to construct a bailey bridge over the sunken portion so as to re-connect the highway within three/four days.
Constructing of the new stretch of road would entail dismantling some house of Khongnem Thana village. Officials of PWD (NH Division) and BIPL have already started negotiation with the village authority and house owners this evening regarding dismantling of the affected houses and the compensation to be paid for the same.
If the negotiation can come to an understanding, road construction work would begin immediately, one BIPL official told The Sangai Express.
Meanwhile, it is reported that cutting hill slopes for constructing the new stretch of highway would start from tomorrow.
Machinery required for cutting the hill slope and constructing road have already reached the site.
The two excavators which were swept away when the 50 metres long portion sank yesterday have been retrieved and efforts are on to recover the loaded truck which too sank along with the sunken highway stretch.  
A large number of trucks and passenger vehicles heading towards Guwahati from Imphal and Imphal from Dimapur are currently stranded on either side of the sunken portion.