Is the Manipur government ready for a VVIP visit in September?

Imphal/Aizawl, Sep 2 (NationPress) In light of media speculation regarding a possible visit from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Manipur on September 13, the state government has instructed officials to prepare necessary arrangements in Imphal and Churachandpur district related to the anticipated visit of a VVIP, officials reported on Monday.

A notification from the General Administration Department did not specify the name of the VVIP or the exact date of the visit.

As per the notification obtained by IANS, Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel convened a meeting with senior civil and security officials earlier in the week to assess the preparations for the VVIP's visit.

The Chief Secretary emphasized the need for a grand organization of the visit, as stated by attendees of the meeting.

“All security measures in accordance with the Blue Book, including the installation of jammers, sanitization, and anti-sabotage checks along the route and at the event venue at Kangla Fort (in Imphal) and in Churachandpur district,” the notification outlined.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma previously indicated that the Prime Minister is anticipated to be on a two-day visit to Assam on September 13-14.

PM Modi's visit will focus on the birth centenary celebrations of cultural icon and Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, with official celebrations set to commence on September 13 in Guwahati.

Officials from Mizoram stated on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mizoram on September 13 to inaugurate the newly constructed 51.38 km Bairabi-Sairang railway project.

While Mizoram officials informally noted that the Prime Minister may visit Manipur from Aizawl, this would mark his first trip since the ethnic violence erupted in the state in May 2023.

However, senior officials from both Mizoram and Manipur have stated they have yet to receive any official confirmation regarding the Prime Minister's visit to Manipur.

In the meantime, both the Mizoram government and Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials noted that the Prime Minister is likely to inaugurate the Bairabi-Sairang railway project on September 13, which will connect Aizawl as the fourth capital city in the Northeast by rail.

According to an official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Mizoram, although final confirmation from the PMO is still pending, it is anticipated that he will inaugurate the railway project on September 13.

The CMO official revealed that during a meeting on August 22, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma suggested that the Prime Minister is expected to officially launch the Bairabi-Sairang railway project on September 13.

A senior NFR official based in Maligaon (near Guwahati) indicated that on September 13, the Prime Minister is likely to inaugurate the 51.38 km new railway line from Bairabi, near Assam's Hailakandi district, to Sairang, which will grant direct rail access to the capital of Mizoram for the first time.

“Nevertheless, we await the final confirmation of the Prime Minister's itinerary from the PMO,” the NFR official added. The Mizoram CMO official mentioned that on July 14, Chief Minister Lalduhoma met with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi to invite him for the formal inauguration of the newly completed Bairabi-Sairang railway line and the new Sairang Railway Station.

The NFR official noted that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northeast Frontier Circle, Sumeet Singhal, after inspecting the newly laid tracks from June 6 to June 10, authorized the NFR to operate both goods and passenger trains on this line.

The Bairabi-Sairang railway project has been executed at an estimated cost of Rs 8,071 crore and is expected to greatly enhance passenger and freight transport, stimulate socio-economic development, and fulfill a long-standing aspiration of the people of Mizoram to see trains arriving in their capital.

Despite the challenging terrain, the NFR has done remarkable work. The Bairabi-Sairang project is regarded as an engineering feat of the Indian Railways.

The project spans mountainous terrain and includes 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and 87 minor bridges, with a total tunnel length of 12,853 meters.

Bridge number 196 stands at a height of 104 meters, which is 42 meters taller than the Qutub Minar. The project also features five Road Over Bridges and six Road Under Bridges.