Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has requested Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene and protect the historic Koirengei airfield, one of the key Allied airfields of World War II l. Biren who represented Heingang Assembly Constituency said during his tenure as Chief Minister of Manipur from 2017 to 2025, he had written on multiple occasions to the Defence Ministers urging preservation of the historic Koirengei airfield. In a post on X and Facebook, the former Chief Minister said, “From 2017 to 2025, during my tenure as Chief Minister of Manipur, I wrote on multiple occasions to our Hon’ble Defence Ministers urging preservation of the historic Koirengei airfield, one of the key Allied airfields of World War II and a priceless part of our shared heritage. Several rounds of talks were also held between officials of the Defence Ministry and the State Government”.
“It pains me deeply to see destruction and new construction continuing despite years of appeals and discussions. This has created significant uneasiness among civilians. I earnestly request Hon’ble Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh Ji to intervene and protect this site in the larger interest of the people of Manipur and the Nation. Already more than 300 acres of land have been donated to the Assam Rifles and are presently occupied by IGAR South, and over 100 acres have been given to the BSF, with these areas already lying in close vicinity of the Koirengei airfield,” Biren said.
