The newly constructed community wooden bridge over the Chiyong River in Sowa Changle Village, Mon District, was inaugurated on May 7th, 2025, by Deputy Commissioner of Longleng , W. Manpai Phom (NCS). The bridge was constructed through the joint initiative of Team LEMSACHENLOK and the villagers of Sowa Changle.
W. Manpai Phom (NCS), while congratulating everyone on the successful completion of the bridge construction, stated that it was a very significant day for the people of the Phom and Konyak communities. He emphasized that in the present age, proper road connectivity is crucial for transportation and emergency purposes. He further noted that although they belonged to different districts, immediate problems could often be resolved through cooperation between neighbouring villages and towns. He expressed his gratitude to Dr. Y. Nuklu Phom, the Chairman and Team Leader of LEMSACHENLOK, and the villagers of Sowa Changle for their collaboration in such community welfare projects.
During the program, short speeches were delivered by Yanger (NPS), Superintendent of Police (SP) of Longleng, and Y.B. Angam, President of the Phom Peoples’ Council (PPC). Both congratulated Team LEMSACHENLOK and the villagers of Sowa Changle. Yanger (NPS) urged people not to merely observe and comment on the good work of others but to actively participate as doers. He added that despite its seemingly small size, the bridge would serve a significant purpose for the community. Y.B. Angam remarked that while it is easy to criticize any undertaking, accomplishing a task is considerably more challenging. He also suggested that the construction of this simple yet valuable bridge should serve as an eye-opener for the concerned authorities. He spoke about the importance of unity among all the neighbouring villages of the Phom and Konyak communities, emphasizing that unity fosters progress and development.
Dr. Y. Nuklu Phom thanked all the invitees and members present at the inaugural program and commended the villagers of Sowa Changle for their efforts in completing the construction of the community bridge. He pointed out that while the rest of the world is advancing with overpasses and flyovers, many communities in their region still struggle with basic road connectivity. He illustrated this by explaining that during the monsoon season, a journey of just a few kilometres can take anywhere from three to five hours or even an entire day due to the absence of a simple bridge across a 50 to 60-foot stream. This delay not only consumes time and fuel but also severely impacts those in urgent need, especially sick individuals who are often forced to endure long hours of travel, turning what should be a one-hour trip to the hospital into a full day's journey. He added that this bridge will serve to link people, save time, and stand as a witness that our communities are united and cannot be separated.
The program was chaired by S. Manpong, Village Council Chairman (VCC), while Mopa Pastor of SCBC led the invocation prayer, and Phaknyu Angh delivered the welcome address.
(DPRO, Longleng)
