Slow road project frustrates students

Aizawl, Aug 3 (UNI) A students' body Chhimphei Mizo Zirlai Pawl(CMZP) has demanded the state government to take action for expeditious completion of the World Bank-funded Aizawl-Thenzawl-Buangpui road construction.

The student body represents all villages along the 100 km road.

''The road problems we are presently facing dates back to the union territory era. The state administration must urge the contractors to speed up their work, otherwise we will not plead any more but go our own ways to see that the construction is finished in time,'' CMZP president RB Lalmalsawma said here today.

''Earlier, we always gave prior information on our agitations, be it road block or demonstration. This time we will not give any such information. We will make a move suddenly and unexpectedly,'' the president added.

The CMZP alleged that of the three contractors, the Mumbai-based Valecha Engineering Ltd was particularly slow. ''The present pace at which work is being done, the company is worse than Bageeratha Company, which had earlier been dismissed for slow work,'' the students said.

''No progress has been made since the company commenced works two years ago. At the present rate, the company is unlikely to complete the works before the agreed date of completion, that is July 17, 2008,'' the student leader said.

Badly affected by floods, the people of Chhimphei were facing extreme difficulties in road transport.

Earlier, the students' group had served a quit notice to the company's quarry manager B B Bhala, who, they alleged, was the main culprit behind the slow work.

The student leaders also said their action was not ''politically motivated''. Meanwhile, the state government claimed that the roadwork was in progress, but it might not be upto the expectations of the people due to inhospitable terrain, unfavourable climatic conditions, shortage of workers and equipment.

The 100-km long Aizawl-Hmuifag-Buangpui road had been divided into three sectors and alloted to Valecha Engineering Ltd, Mumbai, Tantia Construction Co Ltd, Kolkata and RBM-Tantia, after the initial contractors Bageeratha Engineering Ltd and Ashok Builcon Ltd were terminated due to slow work and unauthorised appointment of sub-contractors.

UNI