CM flags off Imphal Ring Road project of Rs 1,766 cr
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, January 29 2024: Chief Minister N Biren Singh today flagged off the Imphal Ring Road Project at Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai, Patsoi in Imphal West.

The project which will cost around Rs.1,766 crore will be implemented with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) .

A formal programme was organised after the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the Ring Road Project.

At the occasion, the Chief Minister maintained that leaders should always work for the welfare of the people at grassroots.

Speaking about the various projects taken up in the State, the Chief Minister informed that the Lamphelpat Water Body Rejuvenation Project has been taken up with an estimated cost of around Rs 650 crore.

300 acres of water body and a recreation centre measuring 140 acres will be developed as parts of the project, he said and added that the Government has a plan to connect the recreation centre with Imphal View Tower at Cheirao Ching through a cable car.

N Biren Singh also expressed satisfaction on the return of migratory birds to Lamphelpat after around 109 years.

He also mentioned about the initiatives taken up by the Government to clean Nambul River and to drain household waste through pipelines to the Sewerage Treatment Plant.

Expressing concern over the rapid degradation of environment and mass defores- tation, the Chief Minister said that the State could witness water scarcity if there is no corrective measure.

Speaking on the newly launched "Khungang Ama Sanabung Ama" project, the Chief Minister announced that one playground will be developed at Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai.

He also informed that Oriental College in Patsoi Assembly Constituency would be upgraded with investment of Rs 6.40 crore.

Apart from this, the college will be covered under the College Fagathansi Mission, he said and added that a road development work would also be taken up in Patsoi with an estimated cost of Rs 7.2 crore from the State budget.

Giving the keynote address, Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam appreciated the Chief Minister for the various projects taken up under his initiative.

He continued that the Ring Road Project is one of the dream projects of the Chief Minister.

On traffic congestion in Imphal areas and the pollution associated with it, the Works Minister informed that the plan for the Ring Road Project was started in 2015-16, but approved in 2020 .

He continued that the total distance of the ring road project is 51.23 Km.

The most interesting part of the project is that it includes a noise pollution control mechanism, which is a first of its kind in India and it will be an environmentally friendly road, he said.

He informed that 9.5 km of the road would have four lanes, while 41.5 km would be 2 lanes with paved shoulders.

The road includes an 18 km stretch of green field with solar lamp, footpath and cycle lane, Govindas said and added that various amenities like food plazas, cycling lane and a jogging lane would be set up along the four-lane portion of the road.

The Works Minister continued that out of the total cost of Rs 1766 crore, an amount of Rs 1374.75 crore would be sanctioned by ADB for construction of road and bridges and the remaining amount would be borne by the State and the Central Government for land acquisition and others.

90 per cent of the loan amount sanctioned by the ADB would be grant and the remaining 10 percent (Rs 137.47 crore) of the loan amount and the interest would be repaid by the Central Government, he said .

The Government has set a target to complete the project by 2026, he added.

Govindas also mentioned the other projects in the pipeline such as rigid pavement of road in greater Imphal and Manipur State Road Improvement Programme.

He continued that out of the 2044.45 km stretch of roads in greater Imphal, the Central Government has approved rigid pavement of 547 km.

The project would be funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), he added.

During the programme, the Chief Minister handed over cards of various Government schemes to the beneficiaries.

Ministers Awangbow Newmai, Heikham Dingo, Khashim Vashum, Chairman of Hill Areas Committee Dinganglung Gangmei, MLAs, Chief Secretary and many senior Government Officials attended the programme, among others.

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