Vested interest groups will be defeated, asserts Biren
CM lays foundation for Imphal Ring Road project, commits to upholding territorial integrity
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 29 2024: Chief minister N Biren Singh, on Monday, laid the foundation stone at Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai, Patsoi in Imphal West district for the Rs 1776 crore Imphal Ring Road Project.

The project is to be executed with financial assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB) .

The 51.23 km long Imphal Ring Road Project, which was initiated in 2015-16 but approved only in 2020, aims to ease traffic congestion and curb pollution in and around Imphal city.

The project had been on the cards from 2015-16 but was expedited in 2020, following the intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying function as chief guest, CM Biren asserted that though Manipur is passing through a rough phase and the people are suffering and bearing the hardships, the state government would meet all obstacles to save the territorial integrity of Manipur from those vested interest groups scheming to balkanise Manipur.

He also appealed to the people to have trust in the government while also seeking support from the people.

Noting that it is not the first time Manipur is experiencing such hardships as similar crisis had happened in 1992/93 during which communal violence lasted for seven years and thou sands of people from both communities lost their lives, Biren said that his government will fight tooth and nail to save Manipur which has a 2000 years long history, from being disintegrated.

The government is not remaining silent but working hard with sleepless nights for the last nine months.

The vested interest groups will be defeated, he assured.

The chief minister further said that state government had been taking up many developmental projects which would improve the living standard of the people while also adding that the leaders should always work for the welfare of the people at the grassroots.

Of the projects taken up in the state amid the crisis, the Chief Minister referred to the Lamphelpat Water body Rejuvenation Project taken up with an estimated cost of around Rs 650 crore.

The project includes development of a 300-acre water body and around 140 acres for recreation centre, he added.

Biren also informed about the plan to connect the recreation centre and the Imphal View Tower at Cheirao Ching through cable car while expressing delight over sighting of migratory birds in Lamphelpat after around 109 years.

He also mentioned government initiative to cleanse the Nambul River and trans portation of household waste through pipelines to the Sewerage treatment plant, stressed the need to preserve water bodies and raised concern over degradation of the environment following mass deforestation and the water scarcity problem which the state could face in future.

Mentioning about the newly launched scheme "Khungang Ama Sanabung Ama", (one village, one playground) CM Biren announced development of the ground at Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai while informing that Oriental College would be upgraded under a project costing Rs 6.40 crore and brought under the College Fagathansi Mission, to improve its infrastructure with an amount of Rs 2.5 crore.

Further highlighting development of Patsoi assembly constituency, he informed that road development work would be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 7.2 crore from the state budget.

Works minister Govindas Konthoujam, while delivering the key note address, said that plan for Ring Road Project was started in 2015-16 to solve the traffic congestion in Imphal city.

However, the project was approved in 2020 only.

The total length of the ring road project is 51.23 km .

The most interesting part of the project is that it includes a noise pollution control mechanism, which is the first of its kind in India and it will be an environmentally friendly road, he added.

He further informed that 9.5 km of the road would be of 4 lanes, while 41.5 km would be of 2 lanes with paved shoulders.

The road includes an 18 km stretch of green field with solar lamp, footpath and cycle and jogging lanes of 1 km length, and amenities like food plazas.

Out of the total cost of Rs 1766 crore, an amount of Rs 1374.75 crore would be sanctioned by ADB for construction of road and bridges and the remaining amount would be borne by the state and the central government for land acquisition and others.

Ninety percent of the loan amount sanctioned by ADB would be in the form of grant and the remaining 10 percent will constitute the loan amount.

The interest would be repaid by the central government, he said.

Assuring that the project would generate 18 lakh mandays of direct employment and 13.5 lakh indirect employment, minister Govindas sought support of the public in ensuring completion of the project without any problem while adding that the project is targeted to be completed by 2026.He also mentioned about other dream projects of the chief minister including the rigid pavement of roads in greater Imphal area and Manipur State Road Improvement Programme.

Out of the 2044.45 km stretch road in greater Imphal, the central government has approved for rigid pavement of 547 km stretch of road.

The funding for the same would be from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), he added.

The chief minister also handed over cards to beneficiaries of Chief Minister s Widow Pension Scheme, Manipur Old Age Pension Scheme, Ujjwala Yojana and Ration Cards during the function, which was also attended by ministers Awangbow Newmai, Heikham Dingo, Khashim Vashum, Hill Areas Committee chairman Dinganglung Gangmei, MLAs, chief secretary and senior government officials among others.

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