State government launches first helicopter service/LEAD

Manipur CM

Chief minister, N. Biren Singh has today launched the first helicopter service in the state between Imphal and Jiribam at Harinagar Helipad in Jiribam district.

The first flight of the seven seats capacity PawanHans helicopter carrying cabinet ministers of the state took off from Imphal International Airport at 9 am.

The Imphal-Jiribam-Imphal helicopter service will operate daily except Sunday and public holidays at the rate of Rs.3000 per head.

Biren Singh also flagged off second flight from Harinagar Helipad after inaugurating the helipad apart from laying foundation stone for construction of transit accommodation of doctors and teachers during his maiden visit to the district bordering Assam.

The chief minister went to Jiribam on Indian Air Force (IAF) to attend the inaugural of the chopper service and cabinet meeting. However, he had to return in one of the Heli Service due to technical glitch encountered with the IAF chopper.

“Jiribam has now become a prime area due to the presence of the state’s lone railhead. As such, the state Government would consider formulating a comprehensive plan for development of Jiribam in consultation with experts”, said the CM.

Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved over Rs.25,000 crore for construction of roads in the state, Biren said that work order for the construction of Jiri-Tipaimukh road had been issued to National Highway Infrastructure Development Ltd. (NHIDL).

He further asserted that Imphal-Jiri road had already been revamped, and construction of Makru and Barak bridges was underway and that District Transport Office (DTO) would start functioning within two months.

“I fell very happy for the state government has launched helicopter service. Travelling along the National Highway 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) will become much easier setting aside the ticket rates. Earlier, we had to take a long nearly 6-hour journey and sometimes misses family emergencies. With the chopper service we comfortably to and fro in just 30 to 40 minutes”, said Th. Gagarin Singh, a lecturer in Jiribam Higher Secondary School. He hails from Top Awang Leikai Imphal East district and posted at Jiribam.

NH-37 is often considered often considered as one of the dangerous highways to travel in the state. Besides being landslides are very prone in the area, the highway is active with militant activities.

It is learnt that altogether 14 cases of abduction and shooting of people engaged in the railway project were reported during the last one year.

“The chopper service is the greatest gift for the Jiribam district. We cannot thank enough the state government for the initiative which would bring a sea change in the newly created district”, said N. Budhamani, sub-inspector of CID (special branch), Jiribam.

Apart from taking up necessary steps to start functioning of Jiri Tea Estate in PPP model, the CM also assured that the state government would also look into the feasibility of launching ‘Barak River Waterways’ project in consultation with the Assam government.

Assuring that people need not panic about police’s intensified identification verification drives at Jiribam, Biren said that there is no ban on entry of any person, who possesses valid documents, to Manipur. Identification checking is done in all the states and Manipur is no exception, he added.

The new government never differentiates people as minority or majority and rich or poor, Biren said while adding that all the people of the state should be able to live together without any discrimination.

Informing that construction of Transit Accommodation would begin from early part of October, the CM also said that the state government would also start construction of ‘Welcome to Manipur’ gate at Jiribam within two months.

Deputy chief minister, Y. Joykumar, ministers, Th. Biswajit, L. Jayantakumar, Karam Shyam, Letpao Haokip, N. Kayisii, L. Dikho, V. Hangkhanlian, Nemcha Kipgen and Th. Radheshyam, Manipur Legislative Assembly deputy speaker, K. Robindro, MLAs, Th. Satryabrata, H. Dingo, Ashab Uddin, chief secretary, Suresh Babu, DGP, L.M. Khaute and other high ranking officials of the state government were also present at the occasion.

Source Imphal Free Press