UCM bats for Redlands, Dimapur plot
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 06 2022: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has urged the State Government to protect and develop the Redlands (Rajbari), Shillong and the MSRTC compound located at Dimapur.

Speaking to media persons at their Lamphelpat office, UCM president Joychandra Konthoujam said that they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on the same matter today.

A team of UCM went on an expeditionary tour to Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland in mid-March this year and they found the Redlands and the MSRTC compound in pathetic conditions, Joychandra said.

Saying that these assets of the State were found abandoned as if there are no owners, the UCM president sought attention of the State Government to protect and develop these assets.

The Redlands located within Ward No 3 of Shillong Municipal Corporation covers 81,884 square feet, he said.

As the Redlands was once used by Manipuri kings and royal families as their residence, it can definitely serve as a testimony of Manipur being a sovereign kingdom in the past, Joychandra said.

It was at the Redlands that king Bodhachandra was forced to sign the Manipur Merger Agreement under duress on September 21, 1949, he said.

The Redlands was mired in disputes for decades until the State Government headed by Chief Minister N Biren paid Rs 91 lakh to the Government of Meghalaya as premium and settled the disputes, he continued.

However, when the UCM team visited the Redlands recently, it was found in a pathetic condition without the basic facility for dining and sleeping, Joychandra lamented.

He urged the State Government to protect and develop Redlands as a historical monument having the facilities of a guest house or Manipur Bhavan.

The MSRTC compound of Dimapur covers 4.241 acres.

Even though the Dimapur Meitei Council had laid the foundation stone for a guest house there, no progress has been made till date.

While the temple of Ibudhou Pakhangba built there by Kanglamei has been taken over by a private party, many auto workshops/garages have been opened inside the MSRTC compound, he said.

Through the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the UCM urged the State Government to protect the MSRTC compound of Dimapur and build a guest house there, he added.

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