The Mizoram government was planning to introduce a helicopter service between Aizawl and Manipur's Churachandpur town to improve connectivity.

During a meeting with leaders of Hmar Students' Association (HSA) from Mizoram, Assam, and Manipur on Tuesday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said his government is planning the helicopter service.

Lalduhoma said his government will also build a Mizoram House in Churachandpur to foster ties.

Mizoram's capital Aizawl has become an important transit point for people living in Manipur's Churachandpur and Pherzawl districts to travel to other parts of the country after ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kukis broke out in May 2023.

Although the Manipur government operates a helicopter service between Aizawl and Churachandpur, it has become irregular, officials said.

The Kuki-Hmar-Zomi communities of Manipur are part of the larger Mizo community and share close ethnic ties and historical origin.

HSA is one of the major student bodies among the Mizo tribes with its headquarters in Manipur and branches in all parts of the Northeast, besides some metropolitan cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.

The Hmar student leaders expressed gratitude to the Mizoram government for constructing a Bailey bridge over the Tuivai river, linking Aizawl with Pherzawl and Churachandpur districts, officials said.

The new bridge was inaugurated by Lalduhoma in February, more than two decades after the last one collapsed.

On Monday, the Hmar student leaders also met Mizoram assembly speaker Lalbiakzama, Sports Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar and opposition MLA and former minister Robert Romawia Royte.

Discussions regarding the outfit's general assembly and the Sikpui festival to be held at Saipum in Mizoram's Kolasib district in December were held at those meetings.

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