Moreh
is a small and sleepy border town in the northeastern Indian state of
Manipur. If I tell you that a cavalcade of about 30 cars (mainly
SUV's) entered this town, few days ago, from other side of the
border. Many readers are likely to question the newsworthiness of
this event and surely ask; why am I writing about this non event? Yet
this insignificant event, is an important precursor or a time marker
of many great things to come in future.
Let us
see first of all, where this place called Moreh, actually is? This
town, sitting right on India-Myanmar international border, is about
109 Km from Imphal, the capital city of the state of Manipur. This is
the nearest place in India to Myanmar's second largest city of
Mandalay. At 'Moreh' town, which is now connected with Imphal with an
all weather mettle road NH 102, India is creating infrastructure,
that is fit for an important border town. A ceremonial archway, a
barrier just beyond it and then a large, shiny border gate with the
Indian state emblem on it ( like at Bagha border post in Punjab) have
been erected.
This
town with a single main road in the middle, with rows of wooden
shops, restaurants and houses lining either side, is destined for a
big future. A border trading mall or 'Haat' has come up here recently
as per agreement with Myanmar Government. Burmese town of Tamu is
just across the border.
Indian Border Roads Organization has already constructed and handed
over to Government of Burma, the Tamu-Kalaywa-Kalemyo Road. Kalemyo
town is already connected by road to Mandalay. By connecting Moreh
in Manipur to Mandalay,
India is planning to make 'Moreh' town as the entry point of a
Trilateral Highway, joining India, Myanmar and Thailand, which would
later be the key to the proposed Asian Highway network.
All
this sounds very nice on the paper, but the ground realities are
rather unknown. It is in this context that this cavalcade of cars
arriving in Impahal via Moreh assumes great significance. The
cavalcade of cars were actually the participant vehicles of
ASEAN-India car rally. The countries participating in the rally are
Burnei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and India. This cavalcade of 31 cars
with 116 participants from 11 countries arrived in Imphal after
covering 9 other ASEAN countries. In India, the cars are expected to
travel to Guwahati via Kohima, capital of Nagaland. After completion
of their 8000 Km ordeal.
The
importance that the north eastern states of India attach to the
concept of Pan Asian highway can be judged from the fact that the
cavalcade was accorded a warm welcome on its arrival in Manipur by
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, Deputy Chief Minister G. Gaikhangam, all
Ministers, ranking police, army and civil officials. Passenger buses,
trucks and private cars were not allowed for some time along Highway
39, to facilitate the rally. Security measures were stepped up to
ensure that there was no untoward incident. The rally participants
were treated to Manipuri delicacies and special cultural
presentations were organised in their honour.
An
agreement for opening the Imphal-Mandalay (Myanmar) bus service is
likely to be signed early next year (2013), when the President of
Myanmar visits New Delhi. Within two years, other cities of Myanmar
also may be covered by this service. India is now thinking about
Myanmar not just as a neighbour, but rather as a gateway to
south-east Asia and ASEAN.
The
safe and sound arrival of the cars participating in ASEAN-India rally
thus can be truly considered as a precursor of the economic
integration of India with countries of South east Asia, where
emergence of new trade routes between India and South east Asia,
using surface transport, are likely to bring great economic benefits
to this neglected region.
17
December 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment