PM opens, lays stones for several projects in Manipur

Imphal: PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated 13 developmental projects valued at Rs 1,858 crore and laid foundation stones for nine more infrastructure projects worth Rs 2,957 crore in Manipur.

The projects deal with road infrastructure, urban development, drinking water supply, health, housing, skill development, Information Technology and art and culture, officials said.

Speaking of the Barak Bridge built along National Highway-37, which was also inaugurated, Modi said the steel bridge will provide better connectivity. Built at Rs 75 crore, the bridge is set to ease traffic movement between Manipur capital Imphal and Assam's Silchar. Foundation stones for five national highway projects to be built at a cost of over Rs 1,700 crore was also laid by the Prime Minister. Three of the projects inaugurated will provide drinking water to Imphal, Tamenglong and Senapati districts.

Modi said, "Safe and clean drinking water would be made available to the people" through these projects. Three projects under Imphal Smart Mission were also inaugurated. The projects included Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) which will boost traffic and solid waste management in the state capital. The other two projects deal with development of river front on Imphal river and Mall road at Thangal market, officials said. Modi also dedicated 2387 mobile towers built for Rs 1100 crore to the people of the state.

To meet the challenges of Covid-19, a 200-bedded semi-permanent hospital at Kiyamgei in Imphal built in collaboration with the DRDO at Rs 37 crore was inaugurated. The PM also laid the foundation stone for a 150-bedded cancer hospital to be built on PPP basis for Rs 160 crore at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences here. To promote the handloom sector and benefit the weaver community, Modi laid the foundation stone for a mega handloom cluster to be built at Nongpok Sekmai in Imphal East district. A craft handloom village will also be built at Moirang in Bishnupur district, officials said.

He laid the foundation stone for the Centre of Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT) that will be built at Rs 200 crore. The project, which is the biggest PPP initiative taken in the state, will boost the Information Technology sector. Foundation stone for the Manipur Institute of Performing Arts to be built at Gurugram was also laid, officials said. Modi also spoke highly of the Jiribam-Imphal-Tupul railway line, which is being built at a cost of Rs 13,809 crore and will include the world's tallest pier bridge of 141 metre. The project is scheduled to be completed in March. Improved connectivity will boost the tourism sector in the state, Modi said. Foundation stones for 72 other projects were also laid by the PM, officials said.