Passport office to adorn Imphal soon
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 10 2012: With the Ministry of External Affairs giving the green signal to the proposal to open Passport offices at all the States of the North East, Imphal is set to have a Passport office of its own in a short while.

Talking to The Sangai Express a reliable source said that the decision was taken during a meeting convened by the External Affairs Ministry and attended by top officials of the North East States at New Delhi today.

The decision to open passport offices at the capitals of the North East States was taken primarily to deal with the difficulties faced by the people as there is only one passport office for the entire region which is the Regional Passport Office at Guwahati, said the source.

With the approval from the External Affairs Ministry coming, process to start building the Passport office in Imphal would be taken up soon, said the source and added that building the office would be the responsibility of the State Government.

The go ahead signal given to the proposal to set up a Passport office in Imphal gains significance in the light of the border trade and the efforts underway to bring as much items as possible under the trade agreement.

It is also very much in line with the Look East Policy of the Government of India as well the move to tie up with South East Asian countries.

Today's meeting at Delhi also comes close on the heels of the recent visit made by the Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai to study the works taken up in connection with the Look East Policy.

With a Passport office now set to come up at Imphal soon, the Centre may give the nod to the earlier proposal put up by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to the Prime Minister to open a direct air link between Tulihal and Mandalay and Yangon, said the source further.

Significantly, Tulihal airport now has night landing facilities and steps are on to upgrade it to the status of an international airport.

Towards upgrading it to an international airport, land acquisition around the areas of the existing airport is on in full swing.

The meeting also simultaneously discussed the possibility of making visa on arrival at Moreh for Myanmarese seeking to enter India, said the source and added that it was presided by the Joint Secretary of External Affairs, Muktesh who is also the Chief Passport Officer.

With better medical facilities and expertise in Imphal, to many Myanmarese coming here for treatment has become something of a necessity.

The visa on arrival at Moreh was discussed in the backdrop of several Myanmarese wanting to come to Imphal for medical treatment as well as for religious purposes.

Earlier on October 9, a meeting was also convened by the External Affairs Ministry with top ranking officials of the North East States to discuss the Direct Passport System to facilitate movement between India and Bangladesh.

After minutely discussing the matter, it was agreed to scrap the Direct Passport System and replace it with the normal passport system, said the source further.

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