Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service resumes after nearly three years, restoring inter-state connectivity disrupted by Manipur’s prolonged conflict.
IMPHAL — Inter-state bus services connecting Imphal with Dimapur and Guwahati resumed on Friday after a gap of nearly three years, marking a significant step towards restoring public transport connectivity disrupted by the Manipur crisis.
A total of 125 passengers travelled on the route on the first day, using two buses and five Tata Wingers. The vehicles travelled through Kangpokpi and Senapati districts along National Highway 2, the key road corridor connecting Manipur with Nagaland and the rest of the country.
The highway has remained disrupted at various points since the conflict broke out in May 2023, with blockades and restrictions affecting movement between different parts of the State.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, while attending an event in Imphal, urged people to use government transport services without fear. He also pointed to the high cost of air travel between Imphal and Guwahati, saying the fares were placing an additional burden on the people.
“The resumption of this service is an important step towards restoring normal life and strengthening connectivity,” the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said in a statement issued on Friday.
The resumption was welcomed by passengers, with many expressing hope that the restored transport link would contribute to peace and greater interaction among communities.
Kiyam Kumarjit Singh of Thoubal district, one of the passengers, thanked the state government for the initiative and said he hoped the renewed service would help people move beyond the divisions created by the conflict.
“Let us all forgive and forget the past,” he said.
Another passenger, Nivedita from Khundrakpam village in Imphal East district, expressed hope that the journey would contribute to peace in the State.
The bus service follows an announcement made by Chief Minister Khemchand Singh during his August 8 visit to Kangpokpi, where he, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and Saitu MLA Haokholet Kipgen announced the reopening of National Highways for free movement of all communities and said the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service would resume soon.