DIMAPUR, SEPTember 7 (MExN): The United Sangtam Likhüm Bümji (USLB) has strongly opposed the taking over of NH 155 stretching from Meluri to Tuensang by the state government of Nagaland. “The moment, the handing over by the BRO to the state government was declared the vehicular movement on the road has been completely paralyzed due to the landslides everywhere”, USLB President R. Tsapikiu stated in a press note while pointing out that the public is facing acute shortage of essential commodities and the people of this area have been completely cut off from the rest of the state.
“The incapability of the state government in this regard is shown”, the USLB stated and urged the state government and the public representative from these constituencies to look into the public grievances and see that the BRO is given full responsibilities of maintaining the NH 155 to make the road stable and secure for public vehicular communication.
The USLB also requested all the tribal organization and the NGOs of this affected areas to voice their grievances to the government till the BRO takes over this charge.
Meanwhile, it must be added here that the Commissioner & Secretary Works & Housing Mhathung Kithan had yesterday clarified in the media that after prolonged effort by the State government, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways declared the same as NH-155 vide its notification dated February 27 2004 and subsequently directing the BRO to hand over the same to the PWD Nagaland in the year 2005.
The government has maintained that the declaration of the above road as National Highway and finally taking over from the BRO was in fact an achievement of the government, which it stated was committed to providing wider and better roads to the people of Nagaland.
Pointing out that since the road had been taken over only on August 30, 2007, the government also admitted that the road in question was ‘very badly maintained particularly in the last one year’ and that to be fair to the BRO, it may have been due to uncertainty of who should take over the road.
The Commissioner assured that the State PWD (R&B) was all geared up to take up the project in right earnest and that it was in the active process of accessing funds from the Ministry for the proper maintenance of the road. “Clear directions have been issued to all concerned field functionaries of the department to make the roads motorable by mobilizing all the resources at their command to have the roads open immediately for the convenience of the public”, the Commissioner informed.
The press note from the Commissioner it may be mentioned was in response to the grievances raised by the United Sangtam Students Conference (USSC) on the road condition especially towards Kiphire and Meluri side as also the subsequent press statement made by the Commander of 15 BRTF, Col Sunil Kumar.
