Imphal Ring Road project to gain momentum as land acquisition nears completion: Manipur CM

The Imphal Ring Road project is set to gain momentum as the land acquisition process is nearing completion, barring a portion in Imphal East district, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh informed the state Assembly on September 7.

The 51.23-km Imphal Ring Road is being developed as a bypass to ease chronic traffic congestion in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.

Replying to a calling attention motion moved by Congress MLA K Meghachandra Singh, Khemchand said the Asian Development Bank-funded project had been delayed due to law-and-order issues and delays in land acquisition.

The state government has already paid Rs 105 crore as land compensation, while another Rs 60 crore is expected to be disbursed soon, he said.

The chief minister said work could progress further once land acquisition in the Khurai Ipum Pat area of Imphal East is completed.

He added that the tendering process had already been completed in accordance with ADB guidelines, while the Manipur government had spent Rs 189 crore from its share on the civil works component of the project.

Efforts to bridge academic losses

Responding to another calling attention motion by Congress legislator Surjakumar Okram, the chief minister said the prolonged disruption caused by the Covid-19 lockdown and the ethnic conflict had adversely affected the state's academic environment.

The government is making efforts to compensate for the academic time lost during the disruptions, he said.

The ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, while 49 people remain missing and thousands have been displaced, according to the government.

Khemchand also said around 4,000 teachers are associated with the state government, though not all possess BEd degrees. The BEd training institute at DM College in Imphal has only 100 seats annually, he said.

The government is therefore exploring a partnership with IGNOU to provide BEd training to teachers who do not have the qualification.

Government exploring aid for DM University students

On scholarships and financial assistance for students of Dhanamanjuri University (DMU), the chief minister said the financial requirement was substantial, estimated at around Rs 14 crore.

He said the government was exploring an appropriate financial mechanism to provide the assistance to students soon.