Alleged fund misuse in Bailey bridge project sparks vigilance warning

President of the Joint Youth Development Committee, Mayang Imphal Meitei Pangal, Chesam Achouba, has cautioned government officials and contractors against alleged misappropriation of funds and substandard work in the construction of a Bailey Bridge that remains incomplete. He warned that the committee will submit a formal complaint to the State Vigilance Department if irregularities persist.
Addressing the media at the office of the Bengoon Youth Development Association, Achouba stated that the bridge, taken up under the PMGSY scheme over the Imphal River, is meant to connect Bengoon Loukok in Mayang Imphal Assembly Constituency with Heibongmakhong Khul in Wabagai Assembly Constituency. Engineers and contractors had earlier assured that the bridge would be completed by May 30 this year. However, the structure remains unfinished, and certain portions have already begun to deteriorate.
Achouba alleged that the work has been executed in a substandard manner. Citing information obtained through an RTI filed by the committee, he revealed that while the sanctioned amount for the project was Rs.3.20 crore, records indicate that more than Rs. 2.50 crore have already been withdrawn. This discrepancy, he said, raises serious suspicion that a portion of the funds may have been misused even before completion of the project.
The committee urged the authorities to intervene immediately and ensure the timely completion of the bridge, stressing that delays have caused serious inconvenience to the public. Achouba also pointed to similar irregularities in Bailey bridge projects between Sekmaijin and Maibam, where construction was allegedly carried out without adherence to project guidelines and quality norms.
He appealed to the government to closely monitor such projects, remarking that many bridges in the Mayang Imphal area, though inaugurated, failed to meet quality standards and durability. He insisted that the present bridge must be completed with strict quality control so that it serves the people effectively and does not become another project built only for ceremonial inauguration.