Imp-CCpur, Imp-Mao stretch opened to public

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 21 : The State Government has opened Imphal-Kangpokpi-Mao Highway and  Imphal- Bishnupur-Churachandpur Highway to the public.
Informing this, Chief Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi said that security forces have been deployed along the two highway stretches for the convenience and security of the people under the operation command of two senior officers.
Though the initiative taken up by the Government is noteworthy, how things turn out remains to be seen as it was only on December 12 that the Naga People's Organisation (NPO) served a stern warning to the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) to not check vehicles plying along Imphal-Dimapur road (National-Highway-2).
The NPO went to the extent of warning that Kuki-Zo people would be barred from entering Naga areas in case CoTU continued to check vehicles.
The warning of NPO highlights the difficulties being faced by drivers and passengers who take Imphal-Dimapur road due to unauthorised checking at different points. Two buses carrying security personnel were also set on fire at Sapermeina in the last week of July by Kukis.
It is also to be noted that Imphal Airport has become busier after the violence broke out on May 3 as taking the highways has become extremely unsafe for the Meeteis resulting in the surge of air fare.
Churachandpur, on the other hand, is the hotbed of the ongoing violence as the violence first started from this district on May 3 so how the Government plans to make Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur operational without any disturbances remains to be seen.
As per the Chief Secretary, IGP (Zone-III) Nishit Kumar Ujjwal will supervise the security measures along Imphal-Kangpokpi-Mao Highway while IGP (Zone-II/Int/NAB) K Kabib will be the operational commander of Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur  Highway.
Convoy along the two routes will start from December 23 onwards, Dr Vineet Joshi added.
He said the movement towards Mao from Imphal will start  from BOC along with trucks and vehicles at 9 am while movement towards Imphal will start from Senapati Headquarters at the same time (9 am).
For Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur Highway, trucks and vehicles will assemble at Malom and head towards   Churachandpur from 9 am onwards. Those coming from Churachandpur towards Imphal (9 am) will assemble at Torbung.