Air service likely to come to the rescue of Imphal-Jiri passengers
Chopper service between Imphal-Jiri in the pipeline
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 13, 2011: The air service will be a boon to the passengers who have to take this treacherous routeIMPHAL, Jan 13: Helicopter service between Imphal and Jiribam is likely to become a reality very soon with Union Home Ministry and DONER Ministry all set to take up necessary measures in this regard.

According to an official source, in the development seminar held at Hotel Classic in October last year, thorough discussion on the infrastructural developments of Imphal East have been taken up and various recommendations were adopted in this regard.

Introduction of Helicopter service between Imphal and Jiribam was one of the most important recommendations adopted during the development seminar meant for Imphal East in due consideration of transport bottleneck in the district.

Despite being under the jurisdiction of Imphal East, Jiribam is located more than 220 kms from the district headquarters and there is no other connectivity besides National Highway-53, which is in a deplorable state, to connect Imphal and Jiribam at present.

After a serious study on the recommendations of the seminar, the Centre has entrusted the Home Ministry and the DONER Ministry to take up necessary and immediate measures toward introduction of Helicopter service between Imphal and Jiribam, the source said.

The source, however, declined to divulge more information on when the Heli copter service would begin.

It may be noted here that while the indefinite blockade was being imposed along Imphal-Dimapur Road (National Highway -39) recently, transportation of essential goods and passengers along the 220 km long Imphal Jiribam Road (National Highway 53) took at least one week.

BRO, which has been entrusted with the task of repairing the road has set the target of completing the work by 2012 after making the road atleast motorable before the end of the current working season.

Acting on another recommendation adopted during the seminar, Centre has instructed related authorities for extending optical fibre cable till Jiribam so as to improve the telecommunication facilities between Imphal and Jiribam.

Extension of optical fibre cable upto Jiribam had been mooted during the seminar as the mobile network at Jiribam is not good and the telecommunication facilities available are not appreciable.

The Centre has also given instructions to all the related authorities for implementing the recommendations adopted during the development seminar of Imphal East attended among others by Union Home Secretary GK Pillai, DONER Secretary Jayati Chandra, Joint Secretary (Home) in charge of North East Shambhu Singh, officials of Defence and other Union Ministries, Chief Secretary of Manipur SD Poonia and other State officials.

Apart from issues related to development of road and communication, the recommendations have taken note over others like health care, water supply, etc.

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