IMPHAL, December 20: The completion of the under-construction Sanjenthong is apparently becoming a distant dream vexed by numerous problems one after another.
The latest reportedly being fund constraint.
The current progress of work at the bridge site is in a sorry state of affair as major components of the bridge like the hangers and girders are yet to reach the State.
An interaction with engineers of the work implementing agency MS Simplex Project Limited Kolkata, revealed that the delivery of the hangers and girders which were expected to reach Imphal by December this year, has now been delayed till January 31, 2015.
The reason behind the delay is due to non-availability of funds, it is learnt.
One of the engineers confided that although 50 percent of the total estimated cost has been spent till date, the Manipur government has so far only sanctioned Rs 6 crores.
The estimated cost of the project is said to be over Rs 30 crores.
It has been informed that the components have to be ordered from France only after full payment for the same.
The company had to disengage some of the workers and currently there are just around 25 workers at the construction site.
`Even if we are not being paid by the Manipur government we cannot stop paying the daily wages of the labourers`, said an engineer on conditions of anonymity.
Setting aside the payment for the ongoing construction of Sanjenthong, the IFP team was told that the State government is also yet to clear previous dues for the construction of the three Ima Keithel and City Convention Centre.
Moreover, the ongoing construction of the Sewage project at Lamphel, JNIMS and Civil Secretariat Mantripukhri are also reportedly reeling under same problem that the Sanjenthong is facing now, sources said.
Adding to the woes, two trailers and trucks of the construction company have also been stranded in Dimapur for over a month now. However, the engineers declined to spell out the reason behind the problem.
Whatever the odds, the company maintained that it had paid for the hanger and girder, and is expecting their arrival on or before January 31, 2015 in Imphal. If the components arrived in time the company is targeting the bridge`™s completion by April.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/fund-constraint-delaying-sanjenthong-completion-confide-engineers/