Imphal: Manipur Congress leaders are fighting the state government's decision to move the National Institute of Technology Manipur to a new location. The project faces a major shakeup. Former Chief Minister and MPCC President Okram Ibobi Singh led a press conference at Congress Bhawan in Imphal to condemn the proposal.
The current site already holds 341.5 acres of land. The state government finished the land records in 2014 and 2015. Officials compensated the original owners to clear the site years ago. Ibobi Singh argued there is zero justification for abandoning this work to start over in a different district.
High-profile party members attended the briefing, including Gaikhangam, Moirangthem Okendro, Dr. Kh. Ratankumar, Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh, Dr. Kh. Loken Singh, Devbrata Khumanthem, Victor Keishing, Tilotama Loitongbam, and Hareshwar Goswami. They voiced collective opposition to the policy shift.
The government claims the current site is waterlogged. Former Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro rejected this explanation. He said, "The waterlogging affected only the area where temporary barracks had been constructed." These structures were meant for short-term use during the initial development phase.
Okendro accused the current administration of ignoring the project for ten years. He questioned why the government is pushing to move the site without reviewing the infrastructure already under construction. The Congress party is now calling on local student organizations to challenge the move before any permanent decisions take root.
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