On his arrival arriving at the border town of Moreh in the state, by chopper from Kohima this afternoon, the minister was greeted by Major General UK Gurung at 9 Assam Rifles post located at the border town.
Post a short briefing by Maj Gen UK Gurung, the minister went to Moreh gate number 4 and inspected the ongoing border road construction works at border pillar number 79 presently taken up along the Manipur-Myanmar border areas.
Pallam Raju promised more funds for improvement of border roads in Manipur and expressed his satisfaction at the works taken up by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
The minister inspected the ongoing border fencing work at Moreh and was briefed by R Ravi Shankar, the director general of BRO about the progress of construction work of the Lokchao Bride located at Gate number 1, further work progress of the 139 km long Moreh-Thingphai-New Somtal road, Indo Myanmar Friendship road, Tamu- Kyigone- Kalewain Thanganphai road were also briefed to the minister by the BRO officials.
The BRO officials also briefed the Union Minister of State on the progress of Myanmar’s Tamu-Kalewa road construction work by India with the help of slide shows.
The minister also promised to provide fund for improvement of 109 kms long Imphal-Moreh road.
Raju is the first defence Minister of State to visit Moreh, where India and Myanmar carry on border trade.
Top army and Assam Rifle officials including IG Assam Rifle (South) Maj. Gen. U. K. Gurung, DGAR Lt Gen Ravi Shankar, DIG 26 sector Assam Rifles Brigadier Upendra Drivedi, BRO chief engineer Brigadier Arun Joshi and other administrative officers of Moreh were also present during the minister’s Moreh visit.
Before leaving Moreh for Imphal Raju reviewed the border security with Maj. General Gurung.
Pallam Raju after arrival at Imphal met Chief Minister Ibobi Singh at the latter`s official bungalow at around 4 pm for nearly 50 minutes.
The Union Minister of State also met Governor, Gurbachand Jagat at Raj Bhavan and will halt the night there.
He will further visit Tamenglong district headquarters tomorrow and attend a public reception there.
He will also have an aerial survey of the ongoing 222 km long Imphal-Jiribam highway improvement work by BRO, after which he will visit Jiribam sub-division, Imphal dast district to have a first-hand account of the progress made so far of railway tracks being laid to connect Imphal with the rest of the country through railways.