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Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Manipur today (September 13), marking his first visit to the state since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023. The visit is aimed at both addressing the concerns of displaced communities and launching major development projects.
The day began in Aizawl, Mizoram, where the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth over ₹9,000 crore. These included the Bairabi-Sairang railway line, the Aizawl bypass road, several road projects, an LPG bottling plant, and the Chhimtuipui River Bridge. The Bairabi-Sairang rail line was formally dedicated to the nation, with new train services linking Aizawl to Delhi, Guwahati, and Kolkata.
From Mizoram, Modi traveled to Churachandpur, one of the worst-affected districts in last year’s violence, which claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands. His visit there marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister since Rajiv Gandhi in 1988.
Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit Imphal, where he will inaugurate projects worth more than ₹1,200 crore and address a public gathering at Kangla Fort. Key projects in Imphal include the new Manipur Police Headquarters (₹101 crore), the Civil Secretariat (₹538 crore), the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project (₹550 crore), and a drainage and asset management system valued at ₹3,647 crore.
Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel described the visit as a step toward peace, normalcy, and accelerated growth in the state. Modi also emphasized on X (formerly Twitter) that the government is committed to inclusive and all-around development in Manipur.
The Prime Minister’s absence from Manipur during the height of the violence had drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition, particularly the Congress, which centered its 2023 no-confidence motion around the issue. Today’s visit is being seen as both a reassurance to the people of Manipur and a strategic push for peace and development in the region.
