Manipur to Introduce Chopper Services

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Dec 13 : After neighbouring Nagaland had started to introduce helicopter service to have a better communication between its hill stations, Manipur is likely to copy the same sooner or later.

Reports here said helicopter services between Manipur’s State capital and border town of Moreh (110 km south of Imphal) and Jiribam sub-divisional headquarter (225 km west of Imphal) bordering Assam’s Cachar district via Tamenglong district headquarter, have been proposed as soon as possible.

The State Government has recently provided information with regard to ground preparation for the service which had been sought by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), sources said.

Giving a green signal to the proposed helicopter service in the State, Union Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the State Government to submit the requisite information with regard to feasibility of the proposed service, an official source said.

Recently MHA joint secretary (NE) asked the State Home department to furnish the requisite information stating that Centre has agreed to the introduction of helicopter services in the State, initially between Imphal-Tamenglong-Jiribam and Imphal-Moreh.

State Transport Directorate is expected to coordinate the operations of the helicopter service while State police will take care of security of helipads. The approximate flying time for Imphal-Tamenglong is around 20 minutes, Tamenglong-Jiribam 15 minutes, Imphal-Jiribam 30 minutes, and Imphal-Moreh 27 minutes.

The chopper services in Nagaland have already covered all districts except Peren, Longleng and Kiphire. Another chopper service has connected district headquarters of Makokchung, Mon, Tuensang, Zunheboto, Phek and Wokha.

Nagaland Government is now planning to introduce chopper service to Dzukou Valley – a popular tourist destination along Manipur-Nagaland border. “We are planning to introduce helicopter service to the Valley soon”, a senior official of Nagaland State Transport(NST) said over telephone.

Tourists, hikers and mountaineers have been visiting the beautiful Valley located in between Manipur-Nagaland border by foot through the hilly terrain of the region either through Manipur’s Mao village or Nagaland’s Viswema village.

The helicopter service will be operated twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio along with officials landed in a helicopter in Dzukou Valley recently to take first hand stock of the introduction of the service.