Visa on arrival for Myanmarese at Manipur border: CM Okram Ibobi Singh

IMPHAL: The Centre has decided to provide Visa on arrival at Moreh for the Myanmarese seeking medical treatment, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh announced at the flag-off of the BCIM rally here today.

"As a first step towards easing of restrictions, the government has decided to provide Visa on arrival at Moreh for the Myanmarese," he said flagging off the rally at Kangla Fort this morning.

Addressing the gathering, Singh said the restrictions in the movement of goods and services and people across the border need to be eased.

"We are looking at the opening up of road and rail passages to Bangladesh through Tripura so that our goods can be exported by using the ports of Bangladesh," the chief minister said.

The rally today set off on its sixth stage from Imphal to Ka Lay in Myanmar.

CII chairman (eastern region) R K Agrawal hoped that the rally would revive ancient links and also forge new ties.

"It would also highlight the potential of northeast and explore cross-border land trade. CII is priviledged to partner the rally and have all the governments in its side," he added.

Karl Slym, MD Tata Motors, who joined the rally here along with his wife, said two Englishmen are also supporting the rally.

"This is my first trip to the area and we are planning on a holiday out here. This is about an area of the world that has not witnessed the kind of growth that metros experience. We all are looking forward to driving," he added.

Hundreds of school children holding flags and flowers lined up at the Kangla Fort street to send off the rally this morning.

The 12-day rally will then proceed to Myanmar and culminate at Kunming, in the Yunnan province of China on March 5.