Opening the Tongjei Maril stretch : Countering the politics of blockade
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 3, 2013 -

Opening as many land routes as possible to blunt the growing tendency to suffocate the lifelines of the State at the drop of the hat.

This is what can be read behind the sense of fulfilment demonstrated by Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam when he announced that the North Eastern Council has sanctioned the fund for the first phase of developing the Old Cachar Road, popularly known as Tongjei Maril.

After the pulverising 52 days economic blockade of 2005, the more than 60 days of blockade in 2010 and the record breaking more than 100 days of blockade and counter blockade in 2011, Imphal and Delhi seem to have come around to the idea of the politics of blockade.

This is what can be read into the pressure mounted by the State Government on the .Centre to develop the Tongjei Maril route. It 'is early days and not yet the time for back slapping, but to ensure that the latest development does not get lost in the dust and slush kicked up by numerous extension of deadlines.

Manipur has already felt the pinch of projects overshooting their time frame too often and if at all there is a lesson to be learnt from the numerous examples, then it is to put in all the efforts needed to see that the proposal to develop Tongjei Maril does not go the way of the Imphal-Jiribam line or the Imphal Sewerage Project.

Other than ensuring an alternative lifeline for the people, developing such a route can have far reaching impact on the social ties and relationships amongst the different sections of people.

This assumption lies on the premise that all the marathonesque blockades, much like all the bandhs and general strikes, that Manipur has witnessed in the past were the handiwork of some people who had to gain something out of delivering a political statement and not the common people, though it is the public which invariably feel the pinch the most.

Apart from countering the impact of blockades, developing Tongjei Maril makes good sense. Cachar may not exactly be a Dimapur or a Silchar, but at 97 kms it does make sense to connect the State with Assam through this route.

This point should not be lost or forgotten as and when the State Government has to approach Delhi to extend all the required support to develop this route.

All good plans, all good intentions, all development projects can go for a big six, if not followed by political will and commitment.

This again is another important point which should not blow over the heads of the people who matter. It is not yet clear when work will actually start on this stretch, though the Deputy Chief Minister did inform that the process of starting the work has been put into motion including floating the tender for the work.

No time frame has been given and with the tender process still at the stage of 'underway' it is not yet clear how many agencies would be roped in to develop the next lifeline of the State.

All the more reason for the institutions concerned to keep a sharp vigil on the work progress. All the more reason why the State Government should maintain transparency.

An important and significant announcement has been made and it is left to be seen how seriously the Government takes the importance of the announcement delivered none less than by the man occupying the post of Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister.