Preparations for Shirui Lily Fest intensify
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, May 12 2025: With just over a week to go for the much-anticipated Shirui Lily Festival, preparations are accelerating, including festival venues, roadways, and other essential requirements.

On Monday, an official team led by Tourism secretary Worshang Hungyo and director Pooja Elangbam, and Power commissioner Shailesh Kumar Chaurasiya arrived to assess the ongoing preparations for the festival, scheduled for May 20 to 24.Speaking to the media after the inspection, Pooja informed that the team reviewed progress at all festival venues, parking facilities, and the repair of highways, observing that preparations are advancing rapidly with just one week remaining.

"Around 60 to 70 per cent of the preparatory work is now complete," she stated, expressing optimism about finishing all tasks by the end of the current week.

She added that as assured by the firms and agencies involved, all infrastructures being developed will be sustainable and of high quality, ensuring they can be used in the future.

Regarding efforts to ensure sus tainability of Shirui Lily, Pooja explained that the idea of preserving this unique flower was the inspiration for the festival and stressed the need for protecting the flower, its habitat and forests while promoting tourism.

"So, we need to think about how to make this festival as sustainable as possible; it should benefit the locals, their economy, the district, and the state," she said.

The Tourism director also stressed the need for raising awareness about preserving local culture and environment, stating that the Shirui Lily Festival is the best means to achieve this.

She revealed that sufficient waste bins will be installed at all venues to ensure environmental protection, with regular waste collection in place, and urged all tourists and visitors to be mindful of how they dispose of waste.

At the same time, she informed that adequate toilet facilities will be constructed at all the venues and along the Imphal-Ukhrul route.

The team inspected various sites, including the Vangayan Heritage Centre, Shirui village, which will be the main and opening venue for the festival.

They also reviewed the greenroom, parking areas, and the approach road to the Heritage Centre, as well as the installation of stages and stalls at Ukhrul district headquarters ground and Bakshi Ground - the venue for the Shirock music extravaganza.

During the inspection, the team examined the construction of a bypass road from Langdang-Ukhrul via Choithar, which will provide an alternate route to ease traffic during the festival.

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