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Ban on Manipur rail project lifted temporarily

By Sobhapati Samom

IMPHAL, Feb 15 � The construction work of the Rs 2,492 crore Manipur railway line is likely to be resumed tomorrow following a temporary suspension of the ban on it�s construction.

The United Naga Council (UNC) had banned the construction works on the railway project in protest against the alleged �lack of political will on the part of the government to address the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur�.

The UNC, however, decided to �temporarily suspend the ban on construction work on the Trans-Asian Railway line after lapse of the specified two months period ending February 15.�

A Presidential council meeting of the naga body was also held on February 11 at Senapati in Manipur.

�The decision to suspend the ban was taken in view of the fact it would not be relevant when the election code of conduct is effective and the election process remains incomplete,� said the UNC in a press statement today.

�The decision would be reviewed after the installation of a popular government in the present State of Manipur�, it added.

The ban on construction of Jiribam-Imphal broad gauge railway line via Tupul was imposed since mid-December last close on the heels of the suspension of the 120 day economic blockade on the highways in Manipur over the demand of creating Sadar Hills as a full-fledged revenue district.

The much-awaited rail line will have around 35 tunnels with more than 50 large and small bridges. The progress of construction works has been very tardy though the PM promised to complete the project by March 2016.

The temporary suspension of the ban will also include the seismic survey in Tamenglong district. After the Geological Survey of India reported the presence of rich deposit of petroleum in two oil blocks of Manipur, petroleum exploration licence has been granted to Netherlands-based Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited which awarded contracts to Hyderabad company Alpha Geo Private Limited to carry out the 2-D Seismic survey.

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