It was on the 6th April, 2015, a letter was written to Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable PM of India in connection with the request for RECONSTRUCTION OF TAMENGLONG-TOUSEM-HAFLONG ROAD having a distance of 91.95 km (Manipur) and 55 km (Assam) totalling 146.95 km with adequate financial sanction by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the interest of nation building. Construction of this road will shorten the distance from Imphal to Guwahati by more than 100 km so that the economic life of the people would be tremendously improved. Since this road is an inter-state highway linking with Manipur & Assam and the distance being shortened and the most backward areas of Tamenglong district & North Cachar Hills are inhabited by the Zeliangrong people & other tribals like Kacharis, Kukis, Hmars there is an exigency for taking up immediate action.
The copies of the letter were forwarded to:
1) The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways.
2) The Chief Minister of Manipur,
3) The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs,
4) The Union State Minister of DONER.
For taking up kind and necessary action in the interest of economic development of the people who are living in Manipur and Assam.
The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways immediately has taken up positive action to convert the said road Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road and Tamenglong to Kangpokpi via Tamei into National Highway 54 A.
The people of Manipur particularly the tribal people living in Tamenglong district are so grateful to the Government of India for converting this highway into a National Highway. By making this road the peoples of the world will be attracted to visit THESE districts which have a lot of tourism prospects and suitable climatic condition. The area is also neither hot, maximum temperature during summer is 36oC & the coldest temperature during winter season is 4oC.
The following is the content of the letter to the Prime Minister –
Communication plays a very important role in bringing speedy development to any particular area and it is an undeniable fact that the people living in Tamenglong district are very much in dire need of it. Tamenglong district has a lot of tourism potentials, which can become a means of economic development for the people. 80% of the people living in Tamenglong district are dependent on agriculture, which is not at all self-sufficient as the annual productivity is very low. We have more than 6-7 tourist spots worth seeing which remain unexplored and not visited by the tourists as there is absence of good road communication linking these spots. The places of tourism importance are:
P.T.O
- Zeilad Lakes (4 natural lakes);
- Barak Waterfalls;
- Tharon Cave;
- Buning Meadow;
- Khoupum Valley;
- Kisha Khouh (Mountain Cliff);
- Raengan (Traditional resting place and steps) at Tamenglong Khunjao etc.
Tamenglong district is the land of freedom fighters Haipou Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu who fought against the British for our country’s freedom in the thirties. However, our independent country has not done much to uplift our district, which is inhabited mostly by the Zeliangrong Naga people.
Over and above, Tamenglong district is linked to Guwahati, the North-East commercial city by state highway and national highways passing through Imphal and Dimapur covering a distance of 761km. However, if Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road is constructed, even the road distance from Imphal to Guwahati via Tamenglong will be a little more than 500 km reducing the distance by a 100+km. Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road has been constructed by Public Works Department of the Government Manipur since 1980 but left incomplete till today.
It is, therefore, requested that Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road having a distance of 91.95 (Manipur) + 55(Assam) = 146.95 km may immediately be handed over to Border Roads Task Force (BRTF)/GREF for its reconstruction with adequate provision of financial sanction in the interest of nation building.
(D.P. Panmei)
Ex MLA/Minister
Press Release submitted by Khundrakpam Pangei
