Special Correspondent
Ukhrul, July 14:
With the arrival of the monsoon, Ukhrul town has once again been reduced to a landscape of mud, slush and crater-filled roads, exposing what residents describe as years of official neglect and administrative apathy. Daily life has become a struggle as commuters, schoolchildren, office-goers and elderly citizens negotiate waterlogged potholes and slippery roads that have turned even short journeys into hazardous ordeals.
A drive or walk through the district headquarters reveals a grim picture. There is hardly a single stretch of road where motorists can travel comfortably or pedestrians can walk without fear of slipping into the mud or being splashed by filthy water from passing vehicles. Residents say every step now demands caution, with uniforms, clothes and footwear routinely soiled by the deplorable road conditions.
The worsening situation has sparked growing public anger. Despite repeated appeals by citizens over the years, little visible action has been taken. Several youths, speaking on condition of anonymity, said frustration has reached a boiling point, warning that the Government risks facing democratic protests if the continuing neglect of the town’s infrastructure remains unaddressed.
An independent visit by this Journalist at the Ukhrul Divisional Office of the Public Works Department (PWD) painted an equally disturbing picture. On four separate occasions, the office remained virtually deserted, with no responsible officer available to respond to public queries.
During the fourth visit, a female multitasking employee informed this Journalist that the Executive Engineer (in-charge), Mathew Konmei, has been operating mainly from Imphal and has reportedly visited the Ukhrul office only a few times since assuming charge in April. She further stated that the Assistant Engineer (in-charge), Shivas Khoirakpam, also functions largely from Imphal, while the Sub-Divisional Officer is holding additional responsibilities.
The PWD office itself appeared lifeless—cold, silent and functioning only in name. According to departmental sources, most official files are processed from Imphal, leaving the district office with minimal administrative activity. Internal information indicates that although the division has 19 staff members, only a multitasking employee and a peon are regularly present in the office, while several others, including Lower Division Clerks, are stationed in Imphal.
The office is also said to be grappling with an acute shortage of manpower, lack of staff quarters and inadequate basic infrastructure. Ironically, despite having a newly constructed boundary wall and gate, the office reportedly does not even have a proper signboard identifying the department.
The consequences of this administrative vacuum are visible across Ukhrul town. Roads have deteriorated to such an extent that residents say not a single stretch can be described as befitting a modern district headquarters. The condition is particularly harsh for schoolchildren, patients, senior citizens and daily wage earners, all of whom are forced to negotiate dangerous roads every day.
With nearly 28 localities in Ukhrul town and more than 20 in Hungpung, citizens question why the district headquarters continues to suffer from such neglected infrastructure. Even the approximately nine-kilometre main town road stands as a stark reminder of the deteriorating state of public infrastructure.
Responding to the public concern, Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah said he has been consistently pursuing the matter with the concerned authorities. According to the MLA, seven roads in Ukhrul town and one road in Hungpung were blacktopped nearly three years ago, but the contractors entrusted with the works have reportedly not been paid till date, affecting further maintenance and development.
Ram Muivah further disclosed that, following sustained representations by him and persistent demands from Ukhrul-based civil society organisations, the Manipur Government had included road development for Ukhrul district headquarters in its State Priority List under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and recommended a project worth Rs 20 crore to the North Eastern Council (NEC). However, he alleged that the proposal was subsequently diverted by the State Government to another district in the valley.
