Imphal, April 13 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, conducted a thorough inspection on Monday of the ongoing enhancements at the new terminal of Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal. He emphasized the government's steadfast dedication to providing infrastructure that adheres to the highest quality standards for the community.

The ongoing expansion and renovation of the Imphal airport, which includes a new terminal building awarded in 2022, faced delays due to ethnic violence in Manipur that erupted in May 2023.

However, work has recently recommenced, with the Airports Authority of India projecting a completion date of 2027 for the project.

During his visit, the Chief Minister assessed the construction progress.

In a subsequent Facebook update, Khemchand Singh remarked: "Significant progress has been observed, and we are optimistic that once completed on schedule, both passenger convenience and service delivery will see substantial improvements."

He also noted the presence of some deficiencies in the workmanship and directed immediate corrective measures to uphold quality standards.

Khemchand Singh also evaluated the air cargo terminal facilities during his visit. "The government is resolutely focused on enhancing airport infrastructure and providing efficient, high-quality services for our citizens. Optimizing the performance of our International Airport is a primary obligation of the government," he stated.

While engaging with officials from the Airports Authority, he assured that the government would provide all necessary support for the timely completion of the terminal construction.

According to an official statement, the new terminal, which is currently being developed by a private contractor, is expected to significantly improve airport operations and enhance passenger experience. Upon completion, it will enable 24-hour operations, extending the airport's operational hours from the current 12–14 hours to a full day.

Furthermore, the upgraded facility is anticipated to greatly increase the passenger handling capacity, raising it from 1.39 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 5 MPPA.

In addition, the parking infrastructure will undergo a significant upgrade, expanding from the current capacity of 100 cars to an impressive 1,089 cars within the new integrated terminal complex.

Senior officials, including Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Additional Chief Secretary, Transport, Anurag Bajpai, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Home, N. Ashok Kumar, along with the Directors of the Airport and Transport, accompanied the Chief Minister during the inspection and review meeting.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government has consistently urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to intervene to lower exorbitant airfares on routes connected to Imphal and to introduce more flights.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary Bajpai conducted several meetings with the Civil Aviation Secretary and senior officials to address the civil aviation challenges faced by the people of Manipur. He noted that the high airfares charged by airlines such as IndiGo, Air India Express, and Alliance Air were causing significant hardships, with ticket prices reportedly five to six times higher than those in other Northeastern states.

Bajpai further highlighted that government regulations regarding airfare caps were not being observed on Imphal routes and mentioned a decline in the number of aircraft operating on these sectors since October. He also pointed out that Alliance Air had halted services on critical routes, including Imphal–Silchar, Imphal-Aizawl, and Imphal-Dibrugarh, and urged the MoCA to facilitate their immediate reinstatement.

Moreover, the state government has requested a reconsideration of these routes under the UDAN scheme (RCS-UDAN) due to strong public demand.