Manipur: Stakeholder meet in Imphal shapes model neighbourhood plan for Kyamgei–Lilong stretch

In a major step toward strengthening urban safety and planned development in the southern belt of Greater Imphal, the Planning and Development Authority (PDA), Manipur, in collaboration with the Town Planning Department, convened a high-level stakeholder consultation on Wednesday, December 10 to formalize the Neighbourhood Improvement Plan (NIP) for Sub-Zone E5. The meeting was held at Leishang Hiden Heritage Park at 8:00 AM, focusing on the Kyamgei stretch between the Manipur University (MU) Main Gate and Lilong Bridge, a rapidly expanding peri-urban zone within the Greater Imphal Planning Area.

The NIP—prepared by the Town Planning Department with technical support from the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal—sets out a comprehensive model for enhancing mobility, safety, infrastructure resilience, public services, livelihood opportunities, and optimized land use in emerging peri-urban regions.

The consultation was attended by several key public representatives and domain experts, including Keirao MLA L. Rameshwar Meetei, Ex-Chief Town Planner N. Gitkumar Singh, Chief Town Planner N. Benju Singh, PDA Secretary Ng. Uttam Singh, SPA Associate Professor Mayank Dubey, and Imphal Municipal Corporation Commissioner K. Chandrakumar Singh.

Sub-Zone E5, located between Asian Highway 1 (AH-1) and the Imphal River, has long grappled with issues such as dangerous intersections, inadequate public utilities, and susceptibility to floods. The proposed NIP charts out phased improvements in six priority sectors:

Mobility & Safety
– Redesign of four critical intersections.
– Upgradation of 4.75 km of key transport corridors, including the AH-1 edge and Ring Road.
– Creation of continuous walkways and organized vending zones.

Infrastructure Upgrade
– Improvement of 9 km of water supply lines.
– Strengthening 16 km of surface drainage and 11 km of sewage networks to increase flood resilience.

School Zone Safety
– Establishment of a 200-metre traffic-calmed zone with safe crossings and structured pick-up/drop-off areas for students.

Security & Surveillance
– Installation of streetlights along 3 km of stretches.
– Deployment of CCTV cameras at 10 strategic points to improve security for women and children.

During the meeting, PDA Secretary Ng. Uttam Singh emphasized that the NIP is aimed at redefining neighbourhood-level development through better space utilization.
“This collaborative plan is not just about infrastructure development; it is about creating safer, more resilient and more liveable neighbourhoods,” he said. He further stressed that once finalized, no agency or department can undertake any new work in this zone without prior approval, ensuring coordinated development.

Stakeholders also recommended additional measures, including the need for stronger stormwater drainage systems to prevent flooding and the improvement of village and tertiary roads to ease congestion on highways. Chief Town Planner N. Benju Singh assured that these suggestions would be integrated into the final NIP.

Following the consultation, officials inspected the ongoing construction of the Agro-Market near Lilong Bridge, one of the key development projects in the region.