Top officials of National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), including its Imphal based Executive Director Rajiv Sood, have resigned, sources said.
NHIDCL deputy general manager Pramod Srivastava, who was in charge of NH 37, the Imphal-Jiribam highway, also resigned.
Of late, NHIDCL is in the eye of the storm over pending land compensation issues and differences with top PWD officials particularly over construction of RCC drains along the Imphal Jiribam highway besides the fatal incidents in Likhru Korii bridge and non-completion of Irang Bailey bridge.
It may be recalled here that, Sood had called on the state Chief Minister N Biren Singh only two days ago in his office. However sources said, he had already submitted his resignation to NHIDCL authorities before the said meeting.
Despite recent controversies, the all-important RCC bridges over Barak and Makru rivers on the Jiribam highway were completed during his tenure as Executive Director while another RCC bridge over Irang River is in progress.
When the IFP contacted, Rajiv Sood said, he resigned on personal reasons. The resignations had been accepted and a new appointment is expected anytime soon.
NHIDCL is in charge of upgrading and maintaining the two major National Highways in the state.
In recent times, NHIDCL officials were under fire from state Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam on several issues more particularly over awarding of contract works before resolving land compensation issues.
As troubles mounted, the year-old Bailey bridge laid over Irang River was washed away by the current after heavy rains in the pre-monsoon downpour.
When three trucks slipped downhill at Likhru Korii Bridge located between Makhan and Chakumai in Senapati district in succession within a month’s time, there were allegations that NHIDCL was slow to react in taking up corrective measures to prevent further accidents.
After Works Minister Govindas inspected the site NHIDCL started taking up short-term measures such as implementation of signage, railing, speed breakers and rumble strips among others to prevent accidents at the Likhru Korii Bridge.
Last month, the Minister instructed NHIDCL to immediately stop the construction work of RCC drain on both sides of the stretch from Oriental College gate to Keithelmanbi under National Highway-37.
Minister Govindas recalled that the ministry had instructed to construct the national highway having the width of two lanes, but valuable space were wasted because of the drain.
He further said that Chief Minister N Biren Singh had also been mounting pressure on the Union ministry concerned for the upgradation of NH-37 to a four-lane highway.
He further alleged that NHIDCL is attempting to speed up the construction in order to get their finance bill faster without even considering whether the construction may affect the people or not in the future.
Earlier, state PWD Chief Engineer Temba had opined that the RCC drains on both sides of the highway were completely unnecessary.
