Fancy water-travel on Chandra-Nadi inside Manipur University: Potentials and scope

Prof I Tomba Singh
Contd from prev issue
(iv)    More attraction can be provided if the University develops a decorated park and a children park with modern amenities near the Centenary Hall.
(v)    Establishment of a Central School (Kendriya Vidyalaya), preferably residential nature in the Hillock of Langthabal Hill will provide more attractive to the students, teachers and parents.
(vi)    Proper security measures should be taken up for the water travel.
Note: The necessary budget for the project should be prepared in consultation with Engineers, Technical and financial experts. The necessary finance of the project will be made available from the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Government of India without any difficulty.
3.    Potential and scope
(i)    The scheme, if implemented will generate sufficient income by way of fare from the commuters, tax for visiting the Museum, Old Palace, Ras-Mandal etc.
(ii)    It will provide employment opportunities to educated persons for operating Ferry/motor boats, ticket counters, security apart from utilising skilled persons specialised in Tourism and Hotel/Hospital management.
(iii)    It will provide indirect benefit to the existing University Guest House, International Guest House of this University with the attractive fancy tour on water inside the University.
(iv)    Visiting Manipur University – Museum, Administrative Block, Vice Chancellor’s secretariat, SBI office, Centenary Hall, Kang-Shang (Shed for playing Kang) will be convenient to the commuters, particularly the young learners, aged persons.
(v)    Reaching to some of the departments, staff quarters, hostels and marketing activities by duellers of the staff quarters, hostellers will be made easy, convenient and attractive.
(vi)    Constructing Arts oriented departmental buildings of Dance and Music, Fine Arts etc. near the Hillock will provide another charm and attraction to the University.
(vii)    Ras-Mandal pukhriis being developed as protected historical site by the Government of Manipur. Organising open air Ras-Lilla near the Ras-Mandal will provide another charm for the people, particularly the visitors in the University.
(viii)    Reaching the Centenary Hall of this University where Important University and public functions are performed will be more convenient with the proposed water route travel on Chandra-Nadi.
(ix)    Development of decorated Motel cum Restaurant to serve fast food will add attraction to the commuters in the Centenary Hall and the University.
4.    Implementation: 
The implementation of the proposed Fancy Water-travel on Chandra-Nadi inside Manipur University will be possible only when the University Authority and the Government of Manipur take special attention with regards to the construction of the requisite environment and infrastructure, procurement of necessary ferry/motor boats, security and safety arrangements, proper maintenance, efficient service etc. 
References
1.     Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Manipur: Statistical Abstract of Manipur, 2006, 2014.
2    D. N Ghosal: Role of NEC for Development of Transport and Communication in North Eastern Region, Journal of NEC, Jan-Sept 1997, Vol - VIII, pp 1-9
3.    Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: Brief on Development and Promotion of Tourism in the North Eastern States
4.     S. Sankaran: Economics of Transport and Tourism, Margham Publications, Chennai
5.     Tomba I.: Tourism Based on Water Transport on Imphal River, Orient Vision, Vol-11, Issue-5, Oct-Dec 2005, pp 17-20
6.   Tomba I.: A Bird’s Eye-view on Eco-Tourism In Manipur:National Workshop on Impact
of Climate Change on Biodiversity Management in NE-India with Particular Reference to Manipur, 29-30 September, 2011
7.  Tomba I.: Sagolshem Thambal; Ashangba Communication: Wangkhei Ashangbam Leikai, March 2017
 Paper presented in the 3-day International Seminar on Culture, Tourism, Indigenous People and Sustainable Development, 15-17 February, 2019, Manipur University, Imphal
Organized by:Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development, Manipur University& Research Forum Manipur, Imphal In collaboration with:Planning Department Government of Manipur

The author is Former Consultant, NEITCO (Subsidiary of IDBI), Guwahati, Assam