Pathetic road dogs Charangching

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 20 : The road connecting Charangching Khunou to Chandel Town is in a deplorable state, causing significant difficulties for the local residents of Charangching Khunou as the road serves as a vital lifeline for them.
Located in Chandel Assembly Constituency, Charangching Khunou is inhabited by approximately 50 Lamkang families.
Although the village is accessible from Kakching's Umathel side, its residents primarily depend on Chandel Town.
However, the 9 km road connecting Charangching Khunou to Chandel Town is in a pathetic condition, posing significant challenges to the villagers.
Darmi Sungnem, a local of Charangching Khunou, told The Sangai Express that most of them make their living by planting crops  and  vegetables and taking up menial jobs.
Saying that they sell their produce such as pumpkins, cucumbers, mustards etc at Chandel and Kakching Khunou, he added that the pathetic road condition, however, is making things very difficult for them.
He emphasized that Charangching Khunou to Chandel Town road stretch is crucial for the villagers, serving as a lifeline for trade, medical emergencies, and goods transportation.
Noting that the 8km road connecting Umathel in Kakching and Charangching Khunou, which was recently blacktopped after years of neglect, has already deteriorated, he added that the locals were initially relieved when the road was repaired, but its current state is disheartening.
In contrast, the Charangching Khunou to Chandel Town stretch has never been blacktopped, prompting the villagers to scatter pebbles along the route to make it passable during the monsoon season, he said and added that the road has become inaccessible to regular vehicles now, leaving only rugged vehicles like 4x4s and Tata DI's as the only viable options.
Darmi further said that the village has only one primary school, which offers classes up to the 5th standard.
Stating that the villagers typically rely on Chandel District Hospital during medical emergencies, he added that traversing along the route in such situations, however, is nightmarish.
He also said that the village still awaits reliable water supply, despite the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.
He said that they fetch water from a spring by laying a pipeline over 1 km long.