Negligence, haphazard works lay waste to Porompat DC Road

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 20: Porompat DC Road which serves as a key link to Imphal East district headquarters has fallen to an extremely pathetic state, and as such, a large number of people including students have been enduring excruciating difficulties every single day.  
Even though the road which connects Porompat Ayangpalli road to Top Khongnangkhong is just about 2.5 to 3 Kms long, it is a very important road for Imphal East district.
It serves as a key link to many important Government offices and institutes including the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
But prolonged negligence by the Government and lack of coordination among the Government departments have literally laid the key road to waste.
Soon after PWD started filling up some potholes of the road, PHED dug out the road for laying underground water pipes.
As the department concerned started covering up the dug out portions with gravels, the road was dug out again for laying pipes of the sewerage project and now large pits are being dug out for manholes.
In addition to the deplorable condition of the road,  water leaking from the underground pipes of PHED has been seeping out, thus adding to the pain and frustration of all commuters.
Anguished by the prolonged deplorable condition of the road, local clubs threatened to close the road if the same was not repaired by December 25, 2025. The Government responded by issuing an assurance that the road would be repaired at the earliest.
Contrary to the Government’s assurance to repair the road, digging of large pits (manholes) started in December last year but the number of labourers engaged in digging the manholes and laying sewerage pipes are quite limited.
The labourers could not be seen on the Porompat DC Road during the last couple of months and it seem they are engaged elsewhere.
Following a complaint lodged by the Nongpok Pana Apunba Lup (NONGPAL) with the Imphal East DC regarding the pathetic condition of the road, the DC held a meeting with PWD and PHED officials looking after the Sewerage Project recently.
The officials assured that the works of the Sewerage Project will be finished soon and the road will be constructed.
In the aftermath of the meeting, construction of some manholes/pits were finished but many other manholes/pits remain incomplete and uncovered.
Because of digging out large pits/manholes, the adjoining areas of many of these manholes/pits have sunk.
As observed by The Sangai Express during the last couple of days, only around four/five workers were seen working on the sewerage project at Porompat DC Road. They went back after working for just 6-7 hours and there were days the labourers did not turn up.
Porompat DC Road, also known as Porompat-Baruni Road is a key road for many localities located within Khurai Assembly Constituency and Kshetrigao Assembly Constituency. It is also a key link to JNV, Yaralpat.
The closure of Pong Lambi which pass through JNIMS complex and earlier served as an alternative to Porompat DC Road raised the importance of Porompat DC Road manifold.
With many large manholes/pits dug out in the middle of the road, traffic jams and snarls are a regular scene along the road.
Moreover, volumes of dust generated from the dug out portions and the broken road surface have been causing havoc to commuters as well as nearby residents.  
With visibility severely reduced by the thick volumes of dust, there have been several instances of road accidents.
There are around 12/13 spots along Porompat DC Road between Porompat Ayangpalli crossing and Kongpal Iranpham where underground pipes of Porompat Water Supply Plant have leaked  and water diffused to the road surface.
Although water diffusing from the underground pipes and collected on the road surface has been adding to the woes of commuters for quite a long time now, no action could be seen from the side of PHED to fix the leaked pipes.
One woman employee who attends a Government office at Imphal East district headquarters, Porompat told The Sangai Express that she must wash her clothes every day because of the thick volumes of dust and traffic snarls she must pass through along the Porompat DC Road.  
She said that going to and from office everyday through the thick volumes of dust, the uneven and pothole-filled road has become a nightmarish but unavoidable experience.
A college student from Kongpal too echoed the same experience. The college student urged the Government to repair the road at the earliest. She also urged the Imphal East DC and the Superintendent of Police to exert pressure upon relevant authorities so that the road is repaired as soon as possible.