Digital News Guru Manipur Desk:
A New Dawn in Manipur: Modi’s First Visit Since Violence, With Promise of Peace and Projects
After over two years of ethnic violence, displacement, and trauma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to Manipur on September 13, 2025, since the eruption of clashes in May 2023. The trip is being viewed as a critical inflection point: a political gesture, a peace initiative, and a promise of development. But it also raises questions of timing, trust, and whether infrastructure alone can heal long-standing fissures.
Violence and Division: The Backdrop
Since May 2023, Manipur has been wracked by violence between the Meitei (primarily in the Imphal Valley) and the Kuki-Zo tribes (largely inhabiting the hill districts). The issues at stake have included conflicts over job quotas, land rights, Scheduled Tribe status, and rights to resources, all layered with historical grievances. More than 260 lives have been lost, and over 60,000 people displaced.
The violence has also deepened the social divide between the valley and hill regions. Churachandpur, a town in the hills dominated by Kuki-Zo people, has often been cited as one of the worst-affected places, both in terms of violence and infrastructural neglect.
What Happened: Projects, Outreach & Symbolism
Modi’s itinerary spanned Churachandpur and Imphal. He inaugurated or laid the foundation for dozens of infrastructure and development projects worth around Rs 8,500 crore in total. Of this, projects in Churachandpur accounted for about Rs 7,300 crore, while Imphal saw inaugurations around Rs 1,200 crore.
Key projects include:
- The Manipur Urban Roads, Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project (≈ Rs 3,647 crore) in Churachandpur.
- National Highway upgrades (five stretches) worth over Rs 2,500 crore.
- The Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project (~Rs 550 crore).
- Facilities such as working women’s hostels, super-speciality healthcare centres in remote/hilly districts, and strengthening of schools across 16 districts.
- In Imphal: Civil Secretariat (Rs 538 crore), a new Police Headquarters (Rs 101 crore), “Ima” markets (markets run by women), development of cultural parks, and improvements to the Mall Road area, among others.
In his speeches, PM Modi appealed for peace, dialogue, and unity. In Churachandpur, he acknowledged the suffering of displaced people, emphasised that “Manipur is looking towards a new dawn,” and urged all groups to choose peace over conflict. He also called Manipur “a land of courage and valour.”
Critique, Concerns and Challenges
While the development projects are substantial, many critics have raised concerns:
- Delay in the Visit
Critics argue that two years is a long time to wait, given the severity of the violence. Some say the visit is overdue, and wonder why decisive political attention came so late. - Trust Deficit & Healing
Infrastructure, while important, may not address the deeper mistrust between communities. The displacements, loss of life, and damages have left scars that policy alone can’t easily heal. - Security and Stability
Ahead of the visit, security was beefed up. There is concern that even with projects underway, peace may remain fragile unless grassroots reconciliation and local governance are strongly supported. - Implementation & Real Benefit
Often with large infrastructure projects, the delay in execution, maintenance, and ensuring local access are challenges. Will rural and hill districts truly benefit? Will displaced people see homes rebuilt, schools functional, roads accessible? These are open questions.
Why Churachandpur Matters
Modi’s focus on Churachandpur is significant. This district, in the hills and dominated by the Kuki-Zo community, has been one of the epicentres of the violence. It has been cited repeatedly in news reports as one of the most neglected in terms of connectivity and development relative to the valley areas. By directing a large share of the project funding here, the message is that the government recognizes the hill districts as part of its priority.
The Road Ahead: What May Determine Success
For the visit to translate into long-term peace and progress, several conditions will matter:
- Transparent and timely implementation of the announced projects. Delays or mismanagement will erode public trust.
- Rebuilding trust between communities, through dialogue, reparations, and ensuring that minority concerns are taken seriously.
- Support for displaced persons (IDPs): beyond infrastructure, homes, livelihood, psychological support, restoration of land rights etc.
- Consistent governance: Manipur has seen shifts in administration, and political stability matters. Institutional mechanisms to ensure fair delivery and access should be strengthened.
- Security that protects all: ensuring that policing and security are perceived as neutral and fair by all communities.
Conclusion
PM Modi’s visit to Manipur marks a strong symbolic move: a messaging of concern, outreach, and investment. Infrastructure injections totaling nearly Rs 8,500 crore, spread across both hill and valley regions, signal that development is back on the agenda. But in a state deeply wounded by ethnic strife, conflict over resource access, identity, and exclusion, roads and buildings are just part of the answer.
If this visit is to be more than a political milestone, the real test will come in the months ahead: in rebuilding trust, restoring dignity, ensuring that those displaced get more than promises, and that every project delivers on its promise of inclusion. There may be a new dawn in Manipur—but whether it becomes a lasting one depends on what follows the visit.
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