The Union government has now approved two inter-State routes for the helicopter services started for people affected by the ethnic conflict that broke out in the State in early May this year.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the State government in its letter of August 11 that the approved new routes include one from Churachandpur to Aizawl in Mizoram, and another from Kangpokpi/Senapati to Dimapur in Nagaland.
Since the conflict began on May 3, the violence pushed the Kuki-Zomi people, who had settled in the Imphal Valley, back to their respective hill districts, and the Meitei people settled in the hill districts back to the Valley area. Neither community has been able to use the road to travel within the State for fear of violence from the other community.
In the wake of this division of the State’s population along ethnic lines, helicopter services, under a subsidy scheme, were introduced between Churachandpur and the Imphal airport on the assurance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had received this demand during his visit to the State at the end of May.
The Union government said the new routes were being added for operation under the existing subsidy scheme, which requires passenger to pay a charge of ₹2,000, with the State and Central governments bearing the rest of the burden. The government added that in-principle approval had also been granted for extra flying hours in light of the new routes being added.
Under the 75% Helicopter Subsidy Scheme, there is a ceiling of 750 flying hours per annum and the Union government said that the State government may also make specific proposals for the enhancement of this limit, if required.
Ginza Vualzong of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) acknowledged the opening of the new routes but added that the affected people also needed similar services to connect Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh.
