Imphal (Manipur) [India], May 8 (ANI): In a major stride toward sustainable urban development, the Lamphelpat Water Body Rejuvenation Project in Imphal is emerging as a transformative initiative set to reshape the city's water management, combating floods and promoting ecotourism.

With an ambitious budget of Rs 650 crore, the project is already 60 per cent through its dredging phase, signalling rapid progress on one of Manipur's most significant infrastructure endeavours.

Spanning 300 acres, the rejuvenated Lamphelpat water body is designed to hold a staggering 124 million cubic meters of water -- a capacity sufficient to supply potable water to over four lakh residents through the Public Health Engineering Department. This makes the project a critical component of the state's efforts to combat both urban flooding and chronic water scarcity.

Beyond its water management goals, the project also embraces a bold vision for recreation and tourism. Of the total area, 140 acres have been earmarked for a state-of-the-art recreation zone, aimed at drawing both locals and tourists. Enhancing its appeal further, a cable car system is proposed to connect the site to the iconic Imphal View Tower at Cheirao Ching, offering panoramic views and easy accessibility.

Officials describe the Lamphelpat initiative as an Integrated Flood Risk Management project -- one that not only safeguards the flood-prone Imphal valley but also promotes ecological balance and community development. Project manager Saimul Islam stated,' It was a wetland also, and now you can see we are using our CSD catastrophic measures, and we are going to dig up to 9 metres, we will cover its lake area around 245 acres. And now we have already covered 162 acres around, and so now you can see the water is coming. '

Irom Royal, Superintending Engineer of the water resource department in Imphal, highlighted,' To revitalise and restore this water body, the state government has initiated a water rejuvenation project. The goals of this project are to enhance storage capacity and to elevate the essential potential of the water body. Additionally, we are regarded as an important factor in promoting ecotourism in the Lamphelpat region.'

Residents have welcomed the project with optimism. One of the locals stated,' I feel amazing because it encourages tourism in our Imphal area, and of course, there has been such beautiful scenery because of that development. We can see that the water that has dried up for a few years is being rejuvenated. And that is also the reason why people are being encouraged to tour more in our Imphal area.'

Once complete, the site is expected to become a hub of ecotourism and a symbol of Manipur's forward-looking approach to urban planning and environmental sustainability. (ANI)