The long awaited SHIRUI HERITAGE PROJECT “on the brink of disaster” because of litigations and court cases. As one of the beneficiary villages, Lunghar Village has been extending full cooperation to the contractors who were awarded the work order so as to ensure that the Shirui Heritage Project is executed smoothly and completed on time.
The Village Authority alleged that “MLA Ram Muivah under his DO letter D.O Guv/Ukl/63/24 submitted to Hon’ble Governor of Manipur on 16th January 2026 and DO Letter D.O. CM/Ukl/53/109 submitted to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur on 11th February 2026 requesting to cancel the tender having a good knowledge that the project under SASCI has a target which will get lapsed by the financial year end as per its target utilization.”
The statement issued by LW. Mataisang, Headman, Lunghar Village Ukhrul District, Manipur stated that, “the Lunghar Village Authority wishes to reiterate that our sole interest is the timely implementation and successful completion of the Shirui Heritage Development Project for the benefit of the people of Ukhrul District. The Shirui Heritage Project covers developmental programs in three villages viz: Shirui, Jorcheng (Lunghar Village) and Bakshi Ground (Hungpung).
“DRDA Office Ukhrul informed that M/S Nongmaithem Enterprises was technically disqualified during the tender evaluation process due to the alleged submission of fraudulent documents, including a claimed completed work titled “Construction of District Court at Senapati.” We further understand that the concerned department possesses relevant records, including notifications to DC/ED of DRDA from the High Court of Manipur that “Construction of Senapati District Court” was an “ongoing project and not completed as submitted during the tender process in “Form C” by M/S Nongmaithem Enterprises (represented by Mr. Vaorei Awungshi). Such matters are to be dealt with in accordance with the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) as per its legal provisions and clauses attached in the tender terms and conditions. Accordingly, DC/ED DRDA Ukhrul issued a show cause notification to M/S Nongmaithem Enterprises. As per our information, this disqualification of bidders/firms and awarding of work order is done through the approval of High Tender Committee authenticated by Hon’ble Chief Minister and not DC/ED of DRDA alone. The Foundation Stone laying of the project was also done in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Concern Local MLA, Deputy Chief Minister, Tourism Minister and several other MLAs on 17th April 2026 at Shirui Village. We humbly seek the intervention of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur to save this project.
“We also understand that the proprietor of M/S Nongmaithem Enterprises, Mr. N. Raju Singh, has reportedly written a letter to DC/ED DRDA stating he did not authorize any person to represent his firm in legal proceedings and has requested the concerned authorities to take strict legal action against Mr. Vaorei Awungshi for misrepresentation of his firm. Mr. Vaorei Awungshi representing M/S Nongmaithem Enterprises as its “power of attorney holder” initiated multiple litigations before the High Court of Manipur challenging the awarded work order and sought the High Court of Manipur to cancel the work order, asking for fresh tender through support from the Hon’ble MLA Ram Muivah under his DO letter D.O Guv/Ukl/63/24 submitted to Hon’ble Governor of Manipur on 16th January 2026 and DO Letter D.O. CM/Ukl/53/109 submitted to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur on 11th February 2026 requesting to cancel the tender having a good knowledge that the project under SASCI has a target which will get lapsed by the financial year end as per its target utilization. The High Court of Manipur issued a notice to DC/ED DRDA on 22nd May that the case listed for 22nd May 2026 has been dismissed and withdrawn.
“We would like to appeal to all public, concerned departments, stakeholders and concern MLA to facilitate progress, monitor quality of work and timely completion. These filing of repetitive, malicious court cases and Right to Information (RTI) applications should be stopped as they are designed purely to create procedural bottlenecks, cancel public tenders, and freeze developmental funds purely for their own vested interest.
“In the rejoinder issued by Mr. Philip Awungshi Soso, he addressed the headman of Lunghar Village as sub-contractor of Bhartia Infra Projects Limited which is baseless and requests investigation for false accusations. The village authority would also like to inform the public that Mr. Awungshi Philip Soso filed RTI No.17/DC/DPC/DRDA-UkI/RTI/2020 on 20th March 2026 seeking information regarding the tender process which was duly replied by the concerned department and disposed off on 11th May 2026 as satisfactory by Sunanda Thokchom (Joint Secretary RD & PR). Repeatedly on 29th May 2026 Mr. Awungshi Philip Soso has filed RTI with RR No. 453 which is yet to be evaluated and replied by the concern department. Mr. Kaphungshang Vashim of Shangshak Khunou Village (Unit President of NPF Shangshak Khunou) also filed RTI on 27th March 2026 bearing RR No. 424 and the concerned department has given out complete necessary documents sought in the RTI.
“While RTI Act is meant for transparency, it is being weaponized here as a tool for court cases to derail the project. Our concern remains the repeated delays caused by litigation, RTI proceedings, and other actions that have the potential to stall a project of immense public importance as frontmen are filing continuous RTIs to harass executing agencies, engineering wings, and contractors, creating a hostile working environment that halts physical progress on the ground.
“The Village Authority believes that all technical and contractual matters relating to the tender process should be addressed by the competent government departments in accordance with the law and legitimate justification but will not tolerate this incessant malicious activities to malign and derail the project which once completed will achieve a great milestones for Ukhrul District in regard to tourism.”
The Lunghar Village Authority has appealed and sought the immediate intervention of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur, Y. Khemchand Singh for smooth and timely implementation of the Shirui Heritage, a major tourism and infrastructure initiative intended to benefit the people of Ukhrul District.
