IMPHAL, September 3: The All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers`™ Union has decided against plying on the Imphal-Jiribam highway until the Border Road Organisation provide proper wheel guards on Barak Bridge, general secretary of the union M Anil told media persons today.
He said wheel guards on the Barak Bridge cannot be replaced by just red and green colour warnings.
The transporters and the drivers will not take such risk of passing through the bridge which has no proper hill guards, Anil added.
The AMRTDMWU and the Manipur Truck Owners`™ Welfare Association called a press conference at the latter`™s MG Avenue office.
Speaking at the press conference, MTOWA president H Ranjit said the BRO has during the present repairing of the Barak Bridge, is providing red and green colouring on the bridge instead of providing proper wheel guards.
He said this is an act against the safety of the drivers and the transporters.
Once, the trucks which have already passed along the muddy highway, the tyres of the trucks are prone to drift and cannot maintain a straight line while passing upon the bridge, he observed.
The MTOWA appeal to the State government authorities to instruct the BRO to provide proper safe wheel guard on the bridge, he said.
Without the wheel guards, accidents will keep happening on the bridge. The guard could either be iron bars or wooden blocks which are 6 to 8 inches thick, he maintained.
However, without the guards, the drivers and transporters are not ready to take such risk, he added.
The All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Worker`™s Union had also held an inclusive meeting for transporters and came up with some resolutions.
During the meeting, the union decided that there will be no more talks with the BRO, but the Chief Minister and the concern Works minister should instruct the BRO to do the needful and maintain quality in the repairing of the bridge.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/transporters-bodies-want-bro-to-provide-wheel-guards-on-barak-bridge/