Manipur faces March 2026 deadline to complete rural road projects or lose central funding

Manipur's rural road development programme is racing against a March 2026 deadline to complete projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana's third phase, with officials warning that failure could result in the cancellation of 97 road projects worth Rs 629.87 crore.

The warning came during celebrations marking 25 years of PMGSY implementation in the state, held at Classic Grande in Imphal East on December 1. Chief engineer Kh Temba Singh of the Rural Engineering Department revealed that the ministry has set 6 March 2026 as the cut-off date for completing PMGSY-III projects, which remain stalled due to contractor qualification disputes.

The central government requires contractors to demonstrate experience in soil stabilisation techniques for the cement-treated base roads planned under this phase. However, local contractors have rejected this requirement, bringing the tendering process to a standstill.

"We are seeking exemption from the ministry's instruction regarding contractor qualifications in the tender process," Singh said, urging authorities not to cancel PMGSY-III as it would significantly hamper rural connectivity in the state.

Despite the current impasse, Manipur has completed 87 per cent of road works sanctioned over the past quarter-century. Chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel noted that approximately 1,900 out of 2,000 sanctioned projects have been finished, connecting remote areas with all-weather roads.

Under PMGSY-I, implemented between 2000 and 2021, the state completed 1,879 works covering 10,605 kilometres out of a sanctioned 2,066 projects totalling 11,348 kilometres. The phase aimed to connect 652 previously inaccessible habitations at a cost of Rs 5,272.68 crore.

The second phase, sanctioned between 2019 and 2021, has achieved 90 per cent completion of its 58 projects worth Rs 275.21 crore.

However, implementation has faced substantial challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent ethnic conflict in Manipur severely disrupted progress. Singh disclosed that 424 heavy construction machines were destroyed or stolen during the ethnic violence, with owners and contractors yet to receive compensation.

Of the remaining uncompleted works under PMGSY-I and II, 89 per cent are located in hill districts, whilst 11 per cent are in valley areas, highlighting the geographical difficulties faced by the programme.

The state government is now working to resolve the contractor qualification issue before the ministry's deadline expires, hoping to salvage the 783 kilometres of roads planned under PMGSY-III.