Manipur: Residents flag sub-standard bituminous work on 60-km NH-102A stretch, seek immediate repairs

Residents and village authorities under Paomata Block and Chilivai Phaibung Block in Manipur have raised concerns over the quality of recently completed bituminous work on National Highway-102A between Tadubi and Lower Phaibung village, alleging that the road surface began deteriorating within a week of completion.

According to a press statement issued by the residents and village authorities, the affected stretch covers approximately 60 km and has developed potholes, surface cracks, peeling and loose aggregates shortly after the black-topping work was completed.

The residents alleged that the work was executed in a sub-standard manner and in deviation from prescribed Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) specifications.

They said the condition of the road has created safety concerns for commuters and affected residents, transporters and daily wage earners who depend on the highway for connectivity.

The residents also alleged that the deteriorated road has resulted in vehicle damage, while dust pollution and waterlogging during rainfall have affected households located along the highway.

They expressed concern that the condition of the road could worsen during the monsoon and lead to further disruption of connectivity if corrective measures are not taken immediately.

The residents said they had repeatedly raised the issue with the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), contractors and sub-contractors through verbal and written communications. However, they alleged that no concrete corrective action had been initiated so far.

They have demanded the immediate deployment of a special technical inspection team comprising senior officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), NHIDCL and independent third-party experts to assess the quality of the work and determine whether there were deviations from prescribed specifications.

They have also sought directions to the executing agency to rectify or reconstruct the defective portions at the contractor's own risk and cost under the applicable Defect Liability Period provisions of the contract.

The residents further demanded appropriate penal and legal action against contractors and sub-contractors found responsible for negligence or use of sub-standard materials, in accordance with applicable laws and contractual provisions.

They have also called for joint monitoring of future highway works by departmental engineers and village-level monitoring committees to improve transparency and quality control.

The residents and village authorities have set October 2026 as the deadline for authorities to take concrete steps towards repairing or reconstructing the affected stretch.

They warned that failure to act within the stipulated period could lead to democratic agitation, including an indefinite closure or blockade of NH-102A.