The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered that all construction work connected to the ring road project in the hill areas of Manipur must stop until the next hearing of the case. The order was passed by the Eastern Zone Bench in Kolkata on December 23, 2025, during the fifth hearing of an application filed by Shri Khuraijam Athouba on behalf of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).
The Tribunal said that, based on the material before it, there were serious questions regarding environmental compliance, the legality of the road construction, and the absence of required statutory clearances in ecologically sensitive hill areas. The bench stated that the “Precautionary Principle” under Section 20 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, must be applied.
In its order, the NGT directed that no further construction be carried out by anyone in connection with the ring road project until the matter is heard again. The Chief Secretary of Manipur has also been instructed to issue directions to all District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in the six affected districts to make sure that the order is followed and no further construction takes place. 
The road has been commonly referred to as the “German Road” and, in some stretches, as the “Tiger Road.” Public attention towards the road increased during the Manipur crisis, after videos and photographs were circulated on social media. These included visuals of an inauguration-type event said to involve the Saikul MLA, and images of a gate marked “Tiger Road.”
COCOMI, in a press statement issued on December 28, 2025, said that the road appears to have been constructed without transparency and outside proper legal and environmental processes. The organisation stated that, so far, there is no publicly available record of mandatory environmental impact assessment, forest clearance, or other approvals.
COCOMI also noted that there have been repeated allegations from different quarters that the road may have been used during the crisis period for illegal activities, including suspected drug trafficking, unauthorised movement of arms, and illegal cross-border or undocumented movement of people. The organisation made it clear that these remain allegations, and final conclusions can only be drawn after proper investigation.
According to COCOMI, the NGT’s interim order is an important step to protect fragile hill ecosystems and uphold environmental law. The organisation has called for strict compliance with the order, along with an independent inquiry into how the road was built, whether any approvals existed, how it was funded, and how it has been used. It has further demanded that all project records be made public and that environmental damage, if any, be scientifically assessed.
COCOMI stated that it will continue to pursue the matter through lawful and democratic means and expressed faith in the judicial system to ensure accountability and long-term peace in Manipur.
The NGT has listed the matter for further hearing in early 2026. Until then, construction work on the ring road project in the hill areas is required to remain suspended under the Tribunal’s orders.
