Imphal, Nov 21 (IANS): Manipur chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Monday held a meeting with a senior Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official and discussed the ongoing fencing work along the India-Myanmar border with the state, officials said.

The Chief Minister, while discussing the progress of the fencing along the Myanmar border with BRO’s Additional Director General (East) P.K.H. Singh, said that the border areas must be fenced and guarded effectively to protect the state from various forms of external threats.

“P.K.H Singh, Additional Director General Border Roads (East) called on me at my residential office today. Had a fruitful discussion on the progress of development and roadways construction in the state for an improved connectivity and overall growth in various sectors. Also, pleased to learn about the progress of the ongoing fencing activity at the border areas to protect the state from various forms of external threats,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.

The Chief Minister recently also held a high level meeting with senior officials of the BRO and requested them to expedite the work of erection of border fencing along the India-Myanmar border in Manipur.

The ethnic strife devastated Manipur and has around 400 km of unfenced international border with Myanmar.

In wake of the rise in illegal immigrants and drugs smuggling from the neighbouring country, safeguarding our porous borders has become an urgent necessity, Singh told the media.

Currently work is in progress to erect fencing on the 100 km of the 400 km India-Myanmar border in Manipur.

Singh had earlier requested the Home ministry to cancel the 16 km free movement regime (FMR) on either side of the India-Myanmar border.

FMR allows people residing on both sides of India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km deep into each other's territory without any document.

Meanwhile, following the request of the state government, Centre has recently extended the time frame of capturing biographic and biometric details of Myanmar nationals, who illegally entered into Manipur, to March next year.

Manipur has been caught in a devastating ethnic strife since May 3 with the BJP government in the state has blamed illegal migrants from Myanmar for creating problems including drugs smuggling in the state.

The Manipur government cabinet sub-committee for the identification of illegal immigrants has found as many as 2,187 illegal immigrants had taken shelter in Manipur after the military Junta took power in Myanmar in February 2021.

The state government has set up detention centers to accommodate such Myanmar nationals.