Kakching, March 30: Expressing strong dissatisfaction over the prolonged delay in the construction of the Wabagai Lamkhai to Sugnu road, which has remained incomplete for over 13 years despite repeated assurances, the public has warned that a bandh/blockade will be imposed if work does not resume within the given deadline.
A public meeting was held today at Thumkhong Lairembi Community Hall, Waikhong, in the presence of members of meira paibi groups, local clubs/CSOs, and a large number of residents. During the meeting, various speakers highlighted the hardships faced by the public due to the deplorable condition of the road.
It was pointed out that the Wabagai Lamkhai–Sugnu State Highway, which serves a population of over two lakh people, has remained neglected for the past 13–14 years. Although construction work was formally initiated on June 2, 2024, and a road construction committee was formed by the locals—who also held more than 10 protest meetings—the government has failed to take concrete action so far.
Following the announcement of a bandh/blockade earlier, Works Minister K. Govindas held a meeting with committee members on August 19, 2024, and assured that the road construction would resume within 10 days and be completed to a satisfactory standard. However, even after a year, the work has neither progressed nor been completed.
The road stretch, measuring approximately 27.74 km, was reportedly re-launched on February 2 and February 15, 2026, from both the Wabagai Lamkhai and Sugnu sides in the presence of MLAs from the Sugnu and Hiyanglam constituencies, along with officials from the concerned departments. It was announced that the road would be constructed with a width of 18 feet and proper quality standards. However, after barely 20 days of work, construction has come to a halt again.
During today’s meeting, participants alleged that the contractor stopped work midway without valid reasons and urged the government to take immediate action. It was also noted that during the Assembly session held from March 9 to March 17, 2026, MLAs of the two constituencies raised questions regarding the stalled project, but no satisfactory response was provided.
After thorough deliberation, the meeting resolved the following:
The government must resume construction of the Wabagai Lamkhai–Sugnu road from both ends with proper quality and visible progress by April 5.
Any existing imbalance in road layers and potholes must be corrected to ensure smooth transportation.
If the above demands are not fulfilled by April 5, a bandh/blockade will be imposed starting April 6.
However, it was clarified that essential services such as fire and emergency services, water supply, medical services, and religious activities will be exempted from the proposed bandh/blockade.
