Now garbage adorn footbridges

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 30 : The footbridges in Imphal, built to ease pedestrian traffic, are now plagued by unhygienic conditions.
The footbridges are now so unhygienic, with garbage piling up and people spitting tobacco, that passersby often hold their breath while crossing them.
Even as the success of the Smart City Project requires cooperation from residents and pro-active efforts from the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC), areas like Khwairamband, Paona, and Thangal Keithel, as well as footbridges, including the one at BT Road, have become dumping grounds for trash like plastic bottles and food wrappers.
The absence of civic responsibility among some residents is visibly impacting Imphal's cleanliness drive.
Speaking to The Sangai Express at the BT Road footbridge, a group of passers-by noted that cleanliness efforts by IMC and NGOs are being undermined by individuals who habitually litter wherever they please.
They lamented that people still thoughtlessly dispose of waste in public areas despite IMC and NGOs regularly collecting household garbage and cleaning the roads.
They further noted that the lack of civic sense is evident on Imphal's roads and streets, with people habitually throwing plastic bottles and food wrappers even out of vehicles onto the road.
In addition to littering, people habitually spit tobacco in public places which is unpleasant and unhygienic, they said.
They added that footbridges, too, have become dumping grounds, with piles of garbage accumulating on them, making them no exception to the city's litter problem.
People hold their breath while crossing the footbridges now, the passers-by sighed, expressing desire for the IMC to install more dustbins at public places to alleviate the situation. Saying that the footbridges have made crossing roads more convenient, they, however, expressed disappointment with the bridges' current condition.
While the process to install elevators at the footbridges began some time ago, it unfortunately stalled midway, they said and maintained that completing the installation would greatly benefit elderly citizens.