Imphal: Hundreds of citizens gathered at the old Koirengei Airfield in Manipur’s Imphal East on Sunday, demanding the preservation and protection of the historic site.
The ongoing construction of new structures has triggered widespread public anxiety, as over 300 acres of land were donated to the Assam Rifles, with an additional 100 acres donated to the BSF near the airfield.
The protest, organised by the Campaign for Protection and Preservation of Koirengei Airfield (CPPKAF), featured protesters holding placards with slogans such as “Preserving Koirengei is Preserving the History of the Indian Armed Forces,” “History Cannot Be Rebuilt Once Destroyed,” “No Development Without Preservation,” “Koirengei Airfield Belongs to the People,” “Honour the Past, Save Koirengei Airfield,” and “Stop Destroying Our Heritage.”
Shanta Nahakpa, convener of CPPKAF, speaking on the sidelines of the protest, stated that the public wants the Koirengei Airfield, currently occupied by central forces, to be converted into a historical or tourism site rather than being permanently occupied.
Notably, former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene to protect the historic Koirengei Airfield, describing it as a priceless World War II heritage site whose ongoing alterations have caused public concern.
The airfield was constructed during the Second World War by American engineers for the Allied forces to check the Japanese advance. Notably, there was no airport in Manipur when the Japanese bombed Imphal town on Sunday, May 10, 1942.
The other two main all-weather airfields constructed in Manipur during World War II were Tulihal and Pallel.