Amid ongoing border fencing efforts, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorised a system allowing Myanmar citizens to enter Manipur with an entry pass.
Under the new scheme, Myanmar residents living within 10 km of the Indo-Myanmar border can obtain a “border pass” from the Assam Rifles to enter Manipur.
Similarly, residents of Manipur’s border areas will be permitted to visit Myanmar’s border villages under the same arrangement.
The development is noteworthy as it follows the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) at border check posts by the Manipur government, which has also locked the gates along the border.
As part of the Centre’s border management strategy, the government has commenced fencing the Indo-Myanmar border spanning Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. In Manipur alone, at least 30 km of fencing work is underway.
The MHA has also initiated the establishment of eight pilot entry and exit points, which are set to become functional immediately.
An additional 35 points will be developed under Phase I and II of the project.
A letter from the MHA’s Deputy Secretary to the Manipur Chief Secretary detailed the new system.
The scheme allows cross-border movement within 10 km for purposes such as visiting relatives, tourism, business, medical treatment, and cultural exchange programmes.
The letter, titled “Deployment of police personnel and health officials at pilot sites of entry/exit points along Indo-Myanmar border,” instructed the state government to appoint two police officers and two health officials at each of the designated entry/exit points located at Assam Rifles company operating bases.
The decision was reportedly discussed during a border management meeting convened by the MHA on 16 December.
This initiative aims to address local concerns and foster cross-border relations while maintaining robust security measures along the sensitive Indo-Myanmar frontier.
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