Manipur will witness the most awaited Night Life from today evening. “Imphal Evening” which will open from 7 pm to 10 pm every Saturday and Sunday evenings will be inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and MAHUD Minister Th. Shyamkumar. The changing world needs such an initiative in Manipur too. Most developed states around the globe had already started the night life to improve the economic condition of the people as well as to improve the revenue of the state government. The impact of such ventures, as had been witnessed the world across, goes much beyond the intended economic considerations. The efforts being taken up by the government needs to be applauded by all of us here in the state of Manipur for one reason: officially recognised working hours for both government officials and those running small time business will be extended for another 4 hours at least on weekends.
Life in Manipur unofficially starts as early as from 2 pm for some people who are engaged in distribution of morning newspapers, and for some Khwairamband Keithel women vendors, life starts as early as 4 am. If one would visit Khwairamband Keithel here in the middle of the city at these wee hours, traffic jam will be witnessed as there are no traffic control police at the time. Vegetable vendors start selling as early as 4.30 am to 5 am in an unorganised manner as there are no authorities to control during these times. And almost all public transports take rest by 7 pm (except a negligible few) and the women vendors had to hurry and pack up their goods to return home. Shops and business establishments in Paona Keithel and the Thangal Keithel including the Restaurants closed before 6 pm, as there are no buyers or customers coming after the hour. For those in the government offices which are entrusted with the responsibility of running the state, their time starts from 7 am in the morning (traffic control police) and after 7 pm no traffic control police are seen on any of the roads except some police men assigned at some areas where high ranking officials or elected representatives reside. The government offices starts at 10 am and ends at 4 pm.(Excluding Police department) School colleges and all banks close by 4 pm. Transaction works of most of the bank winds up at 2 pm.
While on the topic of opening “Imphal Evening” on an experimental basis, it is also recommended that the early morning life which is very popular in Khawairamband Keithel be encouraged. Traffic control police authorities should be deployed as early as 3 am before the vehicles transporting goods from every nook and corners of the state gather and jam the area. We can’t impose any rules on private passenger service providers to be on service for specific period of time, but at least the city bus service introduced recently by the state government needs to be on road till late in the evening so that the women vendors which were coming from far flung villages do not have to worry on how late they can sells their goods.
Mindsets of many people of the state have changed a lot. Most people wanted to earn for a living and it is the limited lifestyle of the city that is posing to be a hindrance to such economic aspirations.
Opening of Night schools and colleges will also be a great fillip to the efforts of the state government to increase literacy rate in the state.
Imphal today is experiencing the most terrible traffic congestions during office hours. If these office hours of government departments are not put at the same timing then there might be some relief to the road traffic. For example banks do not necessarily need to open at the same timing with other government offices but can be open 3 hours late from the Secretariat and other government offices by extending 3 hours. Schools here need not necessarily open at 9 or 10 am but it can begin from either 6 am or 7 am so that students have more time study in the evening.
The changes of working hours at various offices, both government and private establishment will not only give opportunity for many people to engage in work but also will definitely help in reducing the road traffic congestion. And definitely the life of Imphalites will be extended.
Officially Imphalites begin life at 9 am and end at 4 pm which means, Imphal City is alive for only 7 hours out of the 24 hours. We almost wasted 17 hours. In a month we have 4 Sundays and a Second Saturday, which means in a month we have only 25 working days effectively. So 24×5 which is 120 hours plus 17 x 15 or 255 hours that is a total of 375 hours is dormant in a month that is around 15 days official life in Imphal is dormant for around 15 days. Excluding holidays, in one year the state remain dormant for 15x 12 days that is equal to 180 days or half the year. If holidays are included it will be more. That definitely is one of the reasons for why we are lagging behind.
Hopefully The Imphal Evening will bring some positive changes and hope the government will usher in more and much needed radical changes to make Manipur a developed state.
