The Manipur government has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a permanent campus for the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Manipur. This assurance was given by Thokchom Radheshyam, the state government spokesperson and MLA, during a press briefing held at his official residence in Imphal East on Tuesday.
According to Radheshyam, the state government is actively working to identify a suitable site for the institution. NIT Manipur, an Institute of National Importance, is currently operating from a temporary location in Lamphelpat. The institute was sanctioned by the Government of India in November 2010, along with nine other NITs, and the construction project for the permanent campus began in 2012.
The state government had initially allotted around 300 acres of land at Lamphelpat for the project. However, the site was found to be highly marshy and unsuitable for construction. Following soil testing and consultations with experts, it was determined that extensive piling and specialized foundation work would be required, resulting in a significant escalation of the estimated cost.
As a result, the Government of India decided that the project could not continue at the existing location and that the campus would have to be shifted to a suitable alternative site. The Registrar and staff of NIT Manipur had approached the Chief Minister regarding the matter, and the Chief Minister assured them that a permanent campus would be established and suitable land would be identified and allotted at the earliest.
The state government emphasized that NIT Manipur is a matter of pride for the state and assured that every possible effort would be made to ensure that students are not deprived of quality technical education due to the delay in establishing the permanent campus. The government reiterated its commitment to strengthening the education sector and assured that all necessary steps would be taken for the early identification and allotment of a suitable site for the permanent campus of NIT Manipur.
The press briefing was attended by MLA Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh.
