Kangla off limit for vehicles : Board
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 14 2013:
Aimed at preserving sanctity of the sacred Kangla as well as protect its environment, the Kangla Fort Board has laid down certain conditions for entry or exit of vehicles.
With the exception of motorcades of the Governor and Chief Minister as well as vehicles of staff working inside Kangla and members of the Board, all other vehicles have been prohibited as per decision adopted at a meeting of the Board on January 24 .
The prohibition, however, came into effect from February 18, according to an official circular issued by the Board's Member Secretary Dr RK Nimai.
It is said the need to maintain sanctity of Kangla, check misuse of the premises for unwanted activities by certain elements and lessen impact of unrestrained movement of large number of motor vehicles on the natural habitation and wildlife inside the historic location compelled the Board to restrict movement of unauthorised vehicles.
While use of Kangla as a thoroughfare would be effectively checked, the circular also instructs staff working inside Kangla and Board members to enter and exit only through the southern gate and park their vehicles within the office premises.
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All visitors may also access the campus from the southern gate after parking their vehicles at the designated site.
Barring official tankers transporting water from the water supply scheme inside Kangla, which would be allowed access before 10 am, all private water carriers would be barred from entering unlike the past.
Morning and evening walkers possessing valid pass will also have to leave their vehicles outside Kangla and proceed on foot from all three gates, mentioned the circular.
Even though the same circular made no mention about the Home Department's Interrogation Cell inside the erstwhile fortress of the then rulers of independent Manipur, Superintendent (Archaeology Department) Keithellakpam Dinamani disclosed the that Board meeting of January 24 resolved to apprise authority concerned for relocation of the information extraction facility from Kangla.
Noting need for protecting the sprawling campus from adverse elements decision was also taken to retain the IRB unit presently stationed at Kangla, said the Superintendent who also informed that the power transmission components (transformers) being stored near the northern gate would be vacated on completing 'un-confirmable' power supply scheme.
It may be noted that The Sangai Express had recently published a report about many unauthorised vehicles, particularly belonging to security forces, zipping through the heritage site causing severe inconveniences to visitors as well as pilgrims.
Kangla also received undesired publicity after some State security force personnel abducted a business man from the complex before the captive's body was recovered from a field in a rural area.