Imphal, September 13: Despite the positive note struck by Works Minister K Ranjit that night landing facilities will be ready by November this year at Tulihal airport, the failure to finish the process of installing the Solar Power Obstruction Light (SPOL) at three hill tops even now may throw a spanner in the plans of the Government.

Works Minister K Ranjit accompanied by MLAs, officials and media persons today inspected the work progress of installing the SPOL at Phunal Maring Ching, Nambol Chingphu and Heibokching.

The MLAs and officials who accompanied the Works Minister included Chairman of Manipur Pollution Control Board MLA Dwijamani, Wangkhem AC MLA K Meghachandra, Wangjing Tentha MLA M Hemanta, the Additional Chief Engineer of the PWD and other engineers.

The road leading to the Phunal Maring Ching where one SPOL is set to come up will take some time for it to be black topped.

The barracks meant to house security personnel to guard the SPOL are yet to be completed while on the other hand good progress could be seen in the construction of the water reservoir and kitchen cum dining hall.

At Heinoubok Ching, the Minister issued necessary instructions to pull down the barracks for the security personnel as the work was found sub-standard and start work afresh.

At Nambol Chingphu, the Minister suggested that to ensure that quality is maintained, the work may be taken up steadily and not hastily.

The roads leading to Nambol Chingphu and Heibokching Ching are ready to be black topped.

Talking to the media persons, K Ranjit said that earlier the plan was to put SPOL atop five hills including Nongmaijing Ching and Langjing Ching.

However since the Airports Authority of India opined that putting the SPOLs at the said three hill tops would be enough, it was decided to instal the SPOL on three hill tops.

If there is the need to set up the SPOL at two more hill tops, the Govt will ensure that they are put up.

The initial target was to complete the installation process of the SPOL by September 15 this year, but the work got delayed due to the onset of Monsoon, said Ranjit and added that the work will be finalised by the last week of this month and tests for night landing at Tulihal airport will start in November this year.

Earlier in the day, before inspecting the three hill tops, the Works Minister led in planting tree saplings at Kheba Ching, at the complex of the Thoubal district hospital, where work is in progress as well as at Thoubal Mini-Secretariat as part of the SPF Government's agenda for a Green Manipur.

A number of MLAs including M Hemanta, M Oken, Y Surchandra, Meghachandra, Dwijamani and officials including the Additional Chief Engineer of the PWD took part in the tree plantation programme.

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