PWD (R&B) clarifies to ACAUT’s allegation on road repair fund

EM bureau
Dimapur, August 23 (EMN): In response to the news item relating to “improvement of the road between City Tower and DC Court Junction, Dimapur” released by ACAUT to local dailies, the PWD(R&B) department in a press note has made certain clarifications.
The press note from the PWD (R&B) Chief Engineer Er. Krosu Rhetso maintained that the work order for the said work was issued to M/S Khumtsa Awomi during 2013 vide No.CE (R&B)/Road-1/CT-DC/2013-14 Dated 25/10/2013 wherein the works were completed in all respects within a period of five months.
“The payments for the completed works were paid at different times where the first payment released during April 2015 amounting to Rs. 1500.00 lakhs and second payment released during August 2016 amounting to Rs. 442.48 lakhs with the total amount released comes to Rs. 1942.48 lakhs” maintained Er. Rhetso.
The press note further went on to state that the ‘scope of work’ included construction of CC Drains on both sides of the road throughout the entire length, providing sub base WBM Grade III layer of 75 mm thick, providing bituminous macadam (50 mm thick) using paver finisher, providing seal coat, construction/reconstruction of culverts at various locations and providing divides and railings.
“Although the drainage was provided throughout the length of the road, proper water outlets are not available in many locations, thereby leading to over flowing of the drainage water to the road surface causing damage to the road” reasoned the department in the press note for the deteriorating road condition. The plying of heavy vehicles especially carriage of sand from Assam side is a major reason to cause damage to the road, it further added.
“After completion of the works during 2014, no further periodical maintenance works is carried out, the road condition will worsen” expounded the department’s chief engineer.
“The concern of the citizens in general and the ACAUT in particular regarding the deteriorating road conditions in Dimapur and the state is acknowledged with all seriousness” conveyed the press release.
However, on spot inspection on Wednesday by Eastern Mirror between City Tower and DC Court junction which is about 2½ km, it was established that the ‘scope of work’ for construction of CC drains on both sides of the road throughout the entire length was omitted. On inspection it was confirmed that the drains between Nuton Bosti junction to Don Bosco school junction was indiscernible.

In the stretch starting from DC Court junction towards Duncan, the supposed drain on one side was dubiously not visible, while on the other side the existing drain was in need of repair.
The next visible drain on both side of the road is only near the Lengrijan junction also known by the landmark Imli Khas, that too for hardly 200 metres.
In the remainder of the road starting from the Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo (DABA) at Duncan Basti till Notun Basti-Fellowship colony area which is about 1.6 km there is drainage only on one side of the road, unlike what the department had stated.
Although the stretch starting from City tower has drains on both sides of the road it ends abruptly on one side of the road just next to a posh hotel that has recently come up.
The contention that ‘proper water outlets are not available in many locations’ was found contradictory since natural drainage do exists on both sides of the road to connect to in the whole stretch of the road.
The abrupt stop of the drain on one location is just near a natural drain that passes through a culvert in the road.
Contradicting to the reason provided by the PWD (R&B) department, a resident residing in the area said that the construction of road between City Tower to DC Court junction was poorly planned even though the department may have had done their part.
The last constructed road is much higher than the connecting roads, probably a sign of better quality, but without proper drains it has instead led to water logging in almost all the junctions resulting in dangerous potholes in all these areas.
He also added that, though there are enough tracts for construction of drains, it was done mostly on one side of the road with some construction abandoned halfway.
The on-spot verification also found that the ‘scope of work’ to provide divider and railings is also questionable with the visible lane divider with railings from City Tower ending at Nepali Bosti junction. The lane divider without railings starting from Metro Hospital-which is about 8 inches ends at Don Bosco school junction.
The stretch after Don Bosco School junction to DC Court junction is sans the supposed dividers.