Manipur Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba has reached out to Union Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister K. Rammohon Naidu, urging a review of airfare policies for airlines operating in the Imphal sector. He emphasised the need for fares to be “concessional and affordable.”
The MP highlighted the severe law and order situation in Manipur, which has halted travel for many members of the Meitei community outside the state. Key highways such as NH 37 (Imphal-Silchar) and NH 39 (Imphal-Dimapur) pass through Kuki-dominated hill areas, making travel risky.
As a result, many travellers—particularly students and patients seeking medical treatment—are forced to fly to Guwahati or Kolkata, creating an added financial burden. Leishemba noted that airlines have been raising fares for flights out of Imphal due to this crisis.
In his letter, he called on the minister to consider implementing concessional airfare for those travelling from Manipur to other parts of India, especially for students, patients, and the general public. The ongoing ethnic violence between the Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the Kuki communities has resulted in over 200 deaths and left thousands homeless since May of last year.
With inputs from PTI