Yes, one does remember the claims of transforming Manipur into another Singapore and of converting the Imphal-Jiribam road into a world class highway fit for even planes to land on it. The Singapore claim became a running joke among the population for quite some time that nowadays it is out of the general discourse. But the story of landing planes on the Imphal-Jiribam road still remains in circulation. Maybe because, the Imphal-Dimapur highway was and is still a political highway with which certain vested interest groups like to play with to their benefit.
As we all know, the Imphal-Jiribam road or National Highway 37 could not be trusted to be an alternative lifeline or for bearing the burden of traffic otherwise handled by NH 2, for quite some time. But, a crucial portion of the Dimapur route is under the control of the Kukis at Kangpokpi and the other major community, that is, the Nagas are simply not bothered by the communal blockade as long as it does not bother their movement. As and when, some Nagas or their vehicles are caught in the communal crossfire they would cry foul and exert the standard practice of counter blockade till the Kukis relent. And when they come to an understanding, only the valley traffic would suffer.
Sometimes in cases of unintended incursions on Naga folks by stray elements from among the valley folks, a few Naga CSOs would cry foul and manage to extract their pound of flesh. But it is not so in all cases. The recent case of Rongmei Nagas going up to Jiribam and assuring safe passage of Imphal bound trucks and tankers despite objections by Kuki militant groups is commendable. Everyone benefits from the traffic on the highway in one way or the other.
In the past, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in charge of the maintenance of the Jiribam highway then was the villain. In the early days of BJP rule in the state, promises of improving the Jiribam into a sort of super-highway were handed left and right. The social media would be flooded by praise of the BJP led government by people coming from Jiribam and meeting the chief minister for his commendable efforts. For long, Jiribam had been neglected as a distant border outpost and a part of the Imphal East district till it was converted into a full-fledged district towards the end of Congress regime.
Successive representatives including the Congress stalwart Th Debendra Singh had neglected Jiribam. No doubt, the real work of connectivity began with the coming of the N Biren Singh led coalition government. Work for RCC bridges on the Imphal-Jiribam highway over Makru, Barak and Irang rivers were taken up during the present BJP government. Earlier, it was the creaking bailey bridges connecting the highway. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had come and inaugurated the Makru Bridge along the National Highway-37.
Makru bridge is the first of RCC bridges constructed on the Imphal-Jiribam Highway. RCC bridges over Irang and Barak rivers on the highway were under construction then. Highway projects are always bogged down by land compensation issues and harassment from militant groups. It is for the state to lay down the rule of law and thwart any issue detrimental to the implementation of projects with an iron hand. In the early part 2023, Centre has sanctioned Rs 480 crores towards payment of land compensation for expansion of the highway.
The chief minister said in the Assembly that, the Jiribam highway is so good and smooth in certain portions that even planes could land on the highway maintained by NHIDCL while there are still bad to worse stretches because of land compensation issues. Someone seems to have forgotten that handling land compensation issues is the responsibility of the state government and not NHIDCL. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari once said that, the state must solve such issues by hook or crook. Again, what good is a highway if it is very bad in most stretches with only a few good stretches. One must also remember that, even with new alignments the Jiribam highway would remain as snaky as ever, and that planes need a long stretch to land.
