Eviction Drives, Encroachments, and the Anatomy of Urban Decay in Imphal

The ongoing eviction drives across several districts of Manipur, particularly under the current President’s Rule, signal a long-overdue corrective mechanism finally being set into motion. Among the many commendable actions taken in recent months, the resolute step led by District Administration of Imphal West, at the heavily encroached Tiddim Road stands out as a pivotal moment in the State’s efforts to reclaim public spaces. The unwavering resolve amid potential backlash must be lauded as an act of integrity in service of public welfare. Today we see a similar eviction drive by Thoubal district administration . Similar eviction are being conducted in Imphal East district and Ukhrul district.
For years, encroachment on public lands, water bodies, and drainage channels has been a scourge to Manipur’s fragile urban infrastructure. Despite being a matter of routine administrative purview, the urgency of land reclamation was seemingly ignored or delayed—perhaps due to entrenched political interests or fear of public reprisal—during the tenure of popular governments. However, the impartial climate of the President’s Rule has allowed for a decisive deviation from this inertia. Without the compulsions of vote-bank politics, the administration has moved swiftly and with clarity of purpose.
While eviction drives have seen success in various locations, the current focus must shift towards the appalling state of road infrastructure and the ever-growing problem of urban flooding, particularly in the heart of Imphal. Roads, battered beyond recognition, have become emblematic of administrative neglect. Although officials have remarked that repair work have been started and rigid pavement will be completed in two to three months, the public’s patience is wearing thin. That delay, while logistically sound, must not translate into another bureaucratic pause.
More alarming, however, is the inundation of key urban areas such as Sagolband, Keishamthong, Kakwa and Naoriya. Flash floods have become a distressingly regular occurrence—even a mere 30 minutes of rainfall now suffices to plunge roads and neighborhoods underwater. This dramatic transformation in urban hydrology is not a result of climate alone but of human-induced topographical mutilation.
The Waishel Maril, once a significant and voluminous natural waterway, has been reduced to a frail and inadequate channel. Elders recall its former width and capacity, which once ensured smooth drainage for vast swathes of western Imphal. Today, rampant encroachments have narrowed it into a shallow drain incapable of accommodating the region’s runoff, leading to overflow even along National Highways. Similarly, other waterways—such as the Naga River and the eastern bank of the Nambul—have been similarly constrained by unauthorized constructions.
The government, to its credit, has issued directives for the removal of illegal structures lining these essential waterways. Yet, the directives seem to exist more as symbolic statements than actionable policies. Months have passed since the orders were issued, and ground-level execution remains elusive. Inaction in this regard risks nullifying the positive momentum initiated by the eviction drives elsewhere.
Urban development cannot be sustained without an integrated and scientific drainage plan. A comprehensive topographical audit and drainage blueprint—augmented by hydrological modeling—must be pursued with urgency. Piecemeal efforts and cosmetic clearances will not stem the rot.
The President’s Rule has thus far unshackled the bureaucracy from political lethargy and offered a window of reform. The opportunity must not be squandered. Eviction drives must be extended to all water channels, roadsides, and vulnerable zones—without exception. More importantly, actions must follow announcements. The city’s resilience now hinges not merely on intent but on implementation, consistency, and vision. Without this, Imphal’s future will continue to be flooded—both literally and metaphorically. And to save the future of the Imphal and other districts of Manipur it is right time to act as there will be little political pressure while executing the act as they are at present under suspended animation.