Changtongya, August 5 (MExN): The National Highway connecting Changtongya (Ctn) and Longleng district lies in a pathetic and deplorable road condition.
Seeing the suffering of the commuters and heavy economic toll on vehicles passing through the road, the Akhoya citizens took a voluntary initiative by organising a mass social work today and repaired the first seven kilometres of the road falling under the geographical jurisdiction of Akhoya.
While the voluntary efforts of the general public was appreciated, villagers expressed disappointment claiming that some of the PWD (NH) officials, instead of maintaining the road, were caught red handed by public for illegally transporting the ‘hume pipe’ kept for the road.
"Almost all the construction materials and parts of machineries kept for the road construction were either stolen or disappeared and the innocent villagers always suspected and blamed," a village council member of Akhoya village claimed.
Another disappointing sight for the people was that the weeds had outgrown the road from both sides with no visible sign of PWD (NH) labour force, he added.
It may be mentioned here that the two lane road construction work between Changtongya and Longleng was awarded to M/S. Gayatri and Maytas Company. However the construction work was abruptly abandoned citing various excuses. “Now the public are the victims of excuses thoughtlessly expressed by the construction company as well as the state government time and again," said the village council members.
The council also expressed their apprehension that another bridge is on the verge of collapse at Lasong river located in the 6th km at the said Highway.
The organizers of the mass social, Akhoya Senso Mungdang engaged two excavators and five dumper trucks with hundreds of volunteers in the task of repairing the road.
They expressed profound gratitude to all the participants and donors in making repair road a success. Akhoya Senso Mungdang celebrated its golden jubilee on Friday and subsequently, the social work was organized in commemoration of the jubilee.
