Sir,
The PWD Manipur was established in the year 1957. After failure to maintain the said highway,
PWD Manipur had handed over construction and maintenance of the NH-53 to the BRTF/BRO in the year 1970 which was also known as the New Cachar Road, from Imphal to Jiribam with a total length of 224 Km.   And the BRO/BRTF had taken over construction, maintenance and improvement of the said highway since 1970 till date. Accordingly, BRO had developed it into a doubled lane highway now. The topography through which the NH-53 criss-crossed one is a very hostile and rough terrain. Here the agency has to follow the following systems:
i) Labour   Camping   System:   The   PWD   cannot   do   that   because   they   have to entrust/implement the work through registered contractors who are responsible for failure of those state highways, district highways and IVRs in the State.
ii) Food Habit: Labourers coming from outside Manipur mainly Biharis can survive on roti, superfine rice and dal which the labourers of Manipur have miserably failed. That is why majority of the man power engages in this highway is from outside the state mostly Biharis.
iii) Monthly salary/muster roll payment system: Salary for muster roll is paid on monthly  basis. Therefore, those labourers can continue to work in the hostile terrain throughout the year.
iv) Labourer recruitment: Local labourers are also recruited/engaged on 50-50 basis. That is why casual employment in given to those people living along the highway.

v) Work Culture: There is work culture in the working system of the BRO/BRTF because man power is regularly supervised by the personnel of the GREF who are well- trained by the department concerned. They are not from the state and that is why there is no room for manipulation and favoritism
vi) Store for Machinery & Workshop: Whenever machines working on the highways are broken down, those ruined machines are repaired within 24 hours. However, in the case of those PWD contractors engaged in the road construction, they have failed even to repair their machineries within a year or more that hampered development in the state.

2. Contract System of PWD: PWD has been implementing all roads, buildings and bridges through tender and bids to the contractors for implementation of all the contraction works in the state. There are enough stories of failures in the works implemented by the PWD in Tamenglong District where NH-53 passes through. Some of the state highways, district highways and IVRs which are in complete failure under the PWD are noted against below:
(i). Khongsang-Tamenglong Road 39.5 Km: It was black -topped only when it was handed over to BRTF in 2007. The Road becomes very bad now after the BRTF left the road due to nonavailability of fund.
(ii). Tamenglong-Halflong Road Via Tousem under NEC was started in 1980 but the said road is not yet motorable till date as it is managed by the PWD, though 100 crores of rupees have been pumped into it.
(iii). Old Cachar Road from Bishnupur to Rengpang NH-53 via Khoupum Valley: This was \he road through which the British came and occupied Manipur. It was a popular road during and before the World War II. However, it has become the worst road in the state today because of corrupt contractors, engineers, including ministers concerned. The said road is not motorable during rainy season/monsoon.
(iv). IT. Road-lmphal-Tamenglong Road was already opened since 1950s. However, the said road is one of the worst roads in Manipur. It is single-laneded with full of pot holes and rough surfaces. The road is not at all mortorable during rainy season.
(v). Kaiphundai-Tousem stretch of road under the state PWD remains a distant dream as it is still unmotorable .
(vi). Tamei-Konphung Road: The Tamei-Konphung stretch resembling a rivulet during raining season justifies the inefficiency and callousness of the state Government.

There are 100 such roads, IVRs maintained by PWD which are not motorable during monsoon in the state. A new tale tells in vividly exhibited by the protracted Capitol Project, which construction started in 2004 is not yet half done. The Bir Tikendrajit Fly Over of hardly 500 Mts span took more than 4(four) years to complete. How can they maintain such a lengthy highway by PWD Manipur?

The All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AMN) sincerely expressed its gratitude to Naga Students’ Federation President Mitsikhoyo Yobhu, Former President Achumbemo Kikon, Former General Secretary K. Ellu Edang, Vice-President Souni Khapa, S. Bendang Aier, Ao Students’ Conference, Kenneth, President Rengma Students ‘ Union for their concerned visit to Tamenglong District for a wide-ranging discussion and interactions on the present Naga National issues with Church leaders, public leaders, student community and the general public at Indoor Stadium, Tamenglong Hqs. on 24th July 2010, which was attended by former Presidents of Zeliangrong Union Namnethuan Palmei, D.Dikambui and former President of Zeliangrong Baudi Ningtangpou Kamei and D. P. Panmei ex-minister, social worker and educationist.

The All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AMN) earnestly appeals all the Zeliangrong people-young and old, to come and participate enthusiastically the Zeliangrong Public Convention which is to be held at Peren District Hqs., Nagaland.

Yours sincerely,
Nchaheing Kompoing,
General Secretary AZSU, (AMN).