Transporters' and Drivers' Council Manipur files FIR against NHIDCL

IMPHAL: In a development that could be the first of its kind in entire India, transporters and drivers have filed a case against a government body for the collapse of a bridge in Manipur that led to the death of a driver. Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) Manipur has filed a criminal conspiracy case against the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for the collapse of a bridge that killed a driver.

President of TDC, H Ranjit put the entire responsibility for the collapse of the Irang bridge and the cause of death of the truck driver on the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), a unit under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. TDC has lodged the FIR at Noney Police station under section 120-B of IPC and urged to book the officials who are responsible for the incident.

Ranjit said that TDC has expressed grief over the death of Khamba Singh, the driver and requested that the body be brought back to Imphal. A team of the Council led by the general secretary of All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers Union, Maimom Anil has left for the same.

He assured that TDC will also hand over Rs 1 lakh as financial assistance to the family members of Khamba on Thursday. He also said that the State government has already begun the process of repairing the Irang Bridge through NHIDCL.

Ranjit Singh Appealed to the state government to complete the repairing of Irang Bridge within a week and take necessary steps for the transporters who are isolated along NH-37, the council is ready to provide necessary aid to the NHIDCL if needed. The transporters will bear the bridge repairing parts without charging transportation fee if assistance is sought by the NHIDCL, he added.

On November 1, a sand loaded heavy truck submerged into the river after a bailey bridge on Irang River along Imphal-Jiribam section of NH-37 collapsed while the truck was crossing through it. Police recovered the body of the driver, Khamba Singh of Hojai after four days from the river.

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