Kangla facility turning into favourite recreational spot
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 24 2022: Developed under Imphal Smart City project and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through teleconferencing recently, Imphal River Front, locally known as 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' on the northern end of Sanjenthong, is gradually becoming a recreational place for people.

Around 700 m long stretch of 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' starting from Sanjenthong till the yet-to-be completed Nongpok Thong (bridge) on the eastern side of Kangla Fort across Imphal river is now fully developed with resting places, walking track, cycling track, exercise arena, food plaza and kiosks and performance stage.

As of now, visitors are allowed to enter and witness the fully developed area of 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' after it was handed over to a private firm as interim measure.

However, government is planning to float tender and handover the facility to private firms for maintenance and security.

Visitors are being allowed to enter 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' from 5am till 7pm daily.

Early morning walkers are allowed without entry fee till 8am but visitors are charged Rs 20 per person to enter the area from 8am onwards.

As of now, around 700-800 visitors attracted by decorated lights and other resting facilities visit 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' daily and the site is now a favoured place for young people to take selfie.

Apart from having cycling track, 10 bicycles are being kept at the area for visitors.

Visitors are allowed to ride these bicycles though a mobile app opened under Smart City which generates fee based on time taken for riding but no fee is charged as of now.

According to an official of Smart City Limited, around 700m stretch of 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' starting from Sanjenthong to the under-construction Nongpok Thong has been fully developed in the first phase and further process for sprucing up the stretch from Nongpok Thong to Minuthong will be taken up in the second phase.

People of the state have been living in a state of fear and uncertainty for a long time due to unstable law & order situation and insurgency but situation seems have been improved a little since the past few years.

However, people of the state are still stuck in their own houses despite improvement of law and order due to lack of proper resting or outing places.

Development of 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' has provided families and friends to go out together and share some moments of joy, the official said, adding that government could collect huge revenue from 'Kangla Nongpok Torban'.

Though 'Kangla Nongpok Torban' has been properly developed and is becoming a popular destination to while the time away, existence of crematoriums on the other side of Imphal river bank indeed causes inconveniences to visitors and government can solve this problem by constructing walls around these crematoriums.

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