Manipur Sangai Festival 2014 State Govt sets sight on President
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2014 : With the State Cabinet keen to launch an extensive publicity campaign for the Manipur Sangai Festival 2014 from now on so as to draw maximum number of tourists, the State Government has also decided to invite President Pra-nab Mukherjee to this year's edition of the annual tourism festival.

Apart from inviting the President to open the festival and grace the inaugural function as chief guest, the State Government has decided to invite the Union Tourism Minister, informed a source.

The annual festival is aim-ed at highlighting tourism potential of the State and draw domestic as well as international tourists to the State.

The Sanjenthong bridge which is being constructed anew would be completed ahead of the festival.

The new Sanjenthong brid-ge, once completed, would be a major and magnificent landmark of Imphal city.

It is reported that the new Sanjen- thong bridge would be an architectural marvel and a major attraction of domestic as well as foreign tourists.

President Pranab Mukherjee

Driven by this conviction, the State Government has issued strict instructions to the Simplex Project Limited to complete the bridge construction work ahead of the grand tourism festival.

Moreover, the work pro-gress is being reviewed every week at the level of the Works Minister and also at the level of the Chief Minister in regular intervals.

Components of the bridge would be constructed outside the State before they are brought and assembled here by Simplex Project Limited Kolkata.

Certain components of the bridge would be procured from France.

Boring of piles which would support the bridge is nearing completion.

Out of total 44 piles needed for the bridge, only 14 remain to be drilled.

Even though the State Government is determined to complete Sanjenthong bridge ahead of the Sangai Festival, it is not clear what would be the condition of Tidim Road from Keishampat Junction to Imphal Airport which now lies in shambles after land acquisition and subsequent demolition of existing structures for expansion of the highway up to Malom.

Nonetheless, the State Government has been studying about what should be done to tidy up and make the highway section presentable, added the source.