Manipur: Major portion of NH 137 completed, says CM Biren Singh

Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced today that the majority of the construction work on National Highway 137 has been completed. However, certain stretches of the road are still under construction due to unresolved land compensation issues.

The Chief Minister's statement was made in response to a cut-motion moved by Congress MLAs during the ongoing 6th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly. Congress MLA Keisham Meghachandra criticized the current government, highlighting the poor condition of both state and national highways. He noted that the Imphal-Jiribam road, Trans-Asian Highway, Imphal-Dimapur road, and Imphal-Ukhrul road have seen little progress despite government promises.

In his response, Biren Singh stated the state government's efforts to improve road infrastructure, though he pointed out that the central government has assigned most road construction projects to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL). He specified that NHIDCL is responsible for constructing approximately 1723 km of roads, while the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been assigned 5 km, and the Manipur Public Works Department (PWD) oversees about 310 km.

Biren Singh assured that most road construction projects are nearing completion. He mentioned that significant portions of the Trans-Asian Highway and National Highway 137 are finished, with the Pallel-Chandel road, spanning around 18 km, also completed.

Addressing concerns about local contractors, Biren Singh clarified that there is no betrayal of local contractors, as 914 local contractors are currently involved in road construction. He added that the state government has urged NHIDCL to prioritize local contractors and laborers to support the state's economy.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the impact of recent devastating floods on the state's roads, revealing that the government has requested Rs 198 crore from the Union Minister to repair the damaged infrastructure.

Biren Singh acknowledged that no work programs for road and bridge construction were formulated for 2022-2023 due to significant liabilities. The cut-motion was also supported by MLAs K Ranjit Singh, Th Lokeshwar Singh, and Surjakumar Okram.