Manipur takes up first-ever rigid pavement works to address poor roads

IMPHAL, Jan 25: For the first time in the country, construction of a rigid pavement or concrete road covering the entire Manipur capital has been taken up considering the poor road conditions due to various factors.

“The execution of this project involving short panel concrete technology has been taken up under the Manipur Urban Road, Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project (MURDAMIP)” stated PWD Chief Engineer Chongtham Bishwachandra.

“Poor road conditions, inadequate drainage systems, frequent waterlogging and flood, besides traffic congestion and safety risks, are the reasons behind taking up rigid pavement projects.”

The Chief Engineer, accompanied by officials of different departments and engineers, was speaking to media persons during an interaction programme held in connection with the ongoing rigid pavement works under an external-aided project here today.

The project with a cost of Rs 3,647.23 crore, of which a sum of Rs 2,896.02 crore is financed through an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) loan, aims to improve connectivity, safety, and resilience of urban and suburban roads and drainage networks in greater Imphal.

The project covers a total road length of 547.281 km for improvement and construction, along with road asset management and a preliminary hydrology study of the Imphal Basin.

So far 10 per cent of the construction works of concrete roads and around four per cent of the drainage portions have been completed, while nearly 50 per cent of the bituminous road construction works have been completed, the Chief Engineer stated.

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