Helicopter services to link districts in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland

Union Home Ministry plans helicopter services connecting tribal districts in Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland in response to local demands.

IMPHAL — Responding to the demands of the tribals, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) has announced to introduce helicopter services in two routes connecting three tribal-dominated districts of Manipur and Mizoram’s Aizawl and Nagaland’s Kohima, officials said on Monday.

The MHA in a letter to Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said that the competent authority has approved the operationalisation of two more additional routes — Churachandpur in Manipur with Aizawl (Mizoram) and Kangpokpi and Senapati districts (in Manipur) with Dimapur (Nagaland) under the existing helicopter subsidy scheme.

“In principle, approval is granted for additional flying hours to the state in case the existing ceiling limit of 750 flying hours per annum is exceeded due to the operation of these two new routes given the extraordinary circumstances,” the MHA letter said.

Responding to the demands of various tribal organisations, Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his four-day (May 29 to June 1) visit to Manipur, announced a slew of measures including the helicopter service.

Senior Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) leader and spokesman Ginza Vualzong said that they had also demanded helicopter service from Lamka to Kangpokpi and Moreh besides the two approved routes. The ITLF, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and ten tribal MLAs, including seven belonging to the ruling BJP, have been demanding a separate administration (equivalent to a separate state) for the tribals in Manipur.

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