Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has deliberated on the fencing works at the Indo-Myanmar border to stop illegal immigration and smuggling activities and the implementation of various roadway projects to enhance connectivity in the state.
The deliberation was made when the CM was called on by Col. G. Shankar, Chief Engineer, Border Roads Organisation (Project Sewak) at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday.
The BRO has been taking up various project works across the state, especially in the border areas.
Chief Minister Singh said that 40 police outposts are being constructed in border areas of which six of them would focus on highway protection.
“These police outposts are expected to be complete by February next,” the CM said, adding that these outposts would help a lot in checking illegal activities.
India and Myanmar share a 1,643 km unfenced border along Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km) and permit a ‘free movement’ regime upto 16 km beyond the border.
Regarding the border fencing works, the CM said that a total of 5.6 km of the Indo-Myanmar border fencing between border pillars no.79 and 81 has been completed so far.
Five Manipur districts — Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul, and Churachandpur — share borders with Myanmar.
While a total of 60.023 km of fencing will be taken up by the Union Home Ministry, the Indo-Myanmar fencing issue will be jointly taken up by the governments of India and Myanmar.
Altogether, 79 roads have been identified for expansion to double lane in the state, he said, adding, Imphal-Maram and Maram-Peren-Dimapur roads have been connected.
One can now go to Dimapur, Nagaland, without passing through congested Kohima town, he added.