the bridge on the river Barak,
connecting Imphal with Silchar
The national highway no. 53 popularly known as New Cachar
road (NCR) is one of the important lifelines of Manipur connecting it with
Assam. It was opened sometime in the early seventies. Before that Old Cachar
road (OCR) or Tongjei Maril was the only mountain pass to reach southern Assam.
NCR is maintained by Border Roads Task Force, BRTF, under
the ministry of surface transport, while OCR is left unattended and it is in a pathetic and dilapidated condition,
literally non-existent at some points.
From Imphal to Barak (145 km), the NH-53 is under the
supervision of 25-BRTF located in Imphal while from Barak (suspension bridge
included) to Silchar (124 km) is under 36-BRTF based at Silchar. From Jiribam
to Silchar (45 km) about eighty percent of work is completed. The stretch is
becoming a double-lane road by March 2003. From Imphal to Nungba (125 km) the road is good. But from Nungba to Jiribam
it is the worst part of the route. No work has been done in this portion for a
long time and the neglect is deliberate according to some quarters. Bad law and
order problem and non-cooperation by local people are some of the answers given
by 36-BRTF.
Beautiful villages like Senam, Sehjang, Tupul, Noney
(Longmai), Awangkhul, Irang, Khongsang, Rengpang, Nungba, Kambiron, Kaimai,
Oinamlong, New Keiphundai and Leingangpokpi etc., dot the highway between
Imphal and Jiribam (224 km). After the construction of Tipaimukh High Dam
(THD), some of these villages, including a good part of the highway would be
submerged forever and the rich biodiversity of the area destroyed beyond
redemption. This proposed dam may be a reason for neglecting the highway
between Nungba and Jiribam particularly. Pressure groups like Committee Against
Tipaimukh Dam, Naga Women’s Union, Manipur Naga People’s Movement for Human
Rights, United Naga Council and All Naga Students’ Association are against the
dam construction. The work to be taken up by NEEPCO is thus stalled.
Wild flowers and ferns, orchids of different shapes and
sizes, bamboos and bananas, canes and creepers etc. can be seen on both sides of
the highway. The lush green sub-tropical forests of the region in fact are the
storehouse of many rare and endemic plants yet to be explored scientifically.
The spooky gorges, overhead cliffs and tumultuous streams may cast an
engrossing spell of intrigue and fear to a new visitor. The hoolock gibbon
(this ape is not found elsewhere in India except the Northeast) along with
various hornbills and jungle fowls are here. There were confirmed reports of gharial
(gavialis gangeticus), nga korial in Manipuri, found in Maku river near Oinamlong. With the
depletion of forests cover these denizens are facing a total extinction.
The historic Old Cachar road also traversed through the
area. Even some years back, Nungba, a subdivisional headquarters of Tamenglong
district was the meeting point of NH-53 and OCR. Now the connecting point is
being shifted to Rengpang village, six km. from Nungba towards Imphal. In the
good old days British officers posted in Manipur took keen interest to keep OCR
in good condition. Captain Guthrie of Bengal Engineers got the road widened
between 1837 and1844 at the joint expense of the British and Manipur
governments with the former paying the larger share. Political Agent in Manipur
Captain Gordon visited the work site regularly and during one such visit he
missed an important incident at the Imphal Palace in which King Narasingh was wounded
in a failed coup in 1844. Some kilometers from Nungba towards the Barak river
lies Kambiron village, the birthplace of Haipou Jadonang. A Naga freedom
fighter, he was put to the gallows in August 1931 by the British Political
Agent. Rani Gaidinliu, born at Nungkao village of the district was his
disciple.
Konjengbam Kameshore
(Courtesy: North East
Enquirer, Nov. 22 – Dec. 6, 2002)
