Guwahati: The Imphal East district administration has handed eviction notices to more than 167 households residing along the eastern bank of the Imphal River in the Sanjenthong to Minuthong stretch for an expansion project as part of the Imphal smart city goal.
The government has suggested turning the inter-village roads (IVR) from Sanjenthong to Minuthong along the river’s eastern bank into a two-lane road as part of the project.
In this regard, the unhappy people in the 2.20 km-long stretch called a public meeting on March 24 and submitted a memorandum to the chief minister N Biren Singh requesting exemption from eviction under the auspices of the JAC, which was created to oppose eviction.
In a press conference, co-convenor of the JAC Momon Gangte stated that in order to implement the project, the proposed expansion of the inter-village road (IVR) along the Imphal River from Sanjenthong up to Minuthong would necessitate the purchase of land that is currently occupied by these settlements.
These residents would suffer severe hardship and have their way of life disrupted if they were forced out of their homes and businesses. Many of these residents are already having trouble making ends meet, and he claimed that eviction would simply make matters worse.
According to Momon, the road expansion will likely have an impact on 167 families at the very least.