The Barak Bridge which is serving as a vital link between the state of Manipur and the rest of the country has once again been rendered useless since sections of it collapsed for the third time since its inauguration last year. Hundreds of trucks carrying essential commodities are stranded, with many of these being perishable goods. As expected, prices of almost every essential commodity have started to shoot up, while traders are once again having a field day raking in extra profit from the inflated prices at which the consumers are forced to buy these goods. The present situation, however, is nothing new. In fact, the state have been experiencing this unfortunate and undesirable situation since one can remember, and yet there seem to be no solution in sight for now, despite the advancement in technology which have enabled people to built tunnels under the sea-bed and construct rail lines in it, or even finished wrapping up plans to sent tourists to space. Come to think of it, Manipur has been having a bad experience when it comes to bridges, be it the unbearably delayed Sanjenthong bridge or the newly built Heirok Bridge which floated away during the recent floods. The abject failure of the state administration to draw up proper plans and procedure to address the increasingly worrisome issue coupled with the inefficient operations of the technical team being in the employment of the state government have rendered the exercise futile. There is also an increasing demand for inspecting the methods of working of the Border Roads Organisation who have allegedly been inefficient and deficient in their works while misappropriating accounts and using defective materials for the repairs undertaken for the bridge. The laid back attitude of the state government cannot be made to continue as the volume of traffic is bound to increase with the increase in population over the years. Improved means of communication does not only mean improving on the already well-maintained roads within the valley districts, but rather the development and maintenance of roads at hard to access regions of the state. It would be pertinent to mention that much of the misunderstanding and suspicious attitude existing amongst the different communities and ethnic groups cohabiting in the state inspite of improved coverage of telephony services should be largely attributed to the still acutely deficient means of transport and communication which is proven to bridge the cultural and regional divide. It is inconceivable to think that some of the vital links to the state are being kept in the condition they are in right now, given that kilometers of tunnels have been made through some of the most treacherous and challenging landscapes to launch train service in the state. There is an emergent need for the state government to turn their attention to the need for constructing such infrastructures which is crucial for the welfare of the public, ones that can function and not mere representation of the reluctant efforts of the dysfunctional administration.
