Dimapur June 19 (MExN): The Border Roads Task force (BRTF) have clarified that the bridges connecting Mon around Mon-Namtola, were damaged due to plying of overloaded vehicles, particularly trucks, at high speed. Also contrary to charges of negligence, they were repaired over a number of times within departmental resources while no funds were made available by the state authorities.
The reaction is in response to an item which appeared on June 14 in this paper regarding the conditions of roads and bridges in Mon, and has clarified on certain counts.
According to N Krishnan, Major, Officer Commanding there are five bridges between 23 kilometers to 44.25 kilometers stretch. The bridges are "very old" vintage bridges and are not safe to support more than 5 tons of load.
However due improvement of the roads have led vehicles to ply at high speed, carrying loads of more than the specified limit.
“Although the repair/rehabilitation of these bridges was not in the purview to the work entrusted to the BRO (Border Roads Organization), these bridges were repaired several times within the available departmental resources without any fund made available by state authorities” a statement from the officer said.
It was also clarified that the bridge (name not given) at 34.62 Kilometers, actually for light vehicles, was damaged due to heavy rain and plying of heavily loaded vehicles on June 7 around 12:00 noon.
The bridge was made through for traffic on May 10 by diverting resources meant for other roads. “In the meantime bridge at km 33.61 got damaged due to movement of heavily loaded vehicles, on June 11 2006, which was restored on 13th June 2006, by again diverting departmental resources” major N Krishnan stated.
The Government of Nagaland has been approached to take over the road in the interest of the public as no fund is provided for maintenance as well as “rehabilitation” of existing bridges, it informed.
The BRTF also maintained that the Mon-Namtola road, with total length of 44.25 kilometers, was taken over by the BRO/ (P) Udayak during April 2002.
The road sector from 0 Kilometers to 23 Kilometers has already been completed and handed over to the State PWD, Government of Nagaland on May 10, 2006.
“The surfacing works between km 23 to km 44.25 has already been completed in all respect and joint inspection already carried out with officials of State PWD, Government of Nagaland dated May 31, 2006. Accordingly, all resources of BRO have been withdrawn” it was stated.
