Manipur-Guwahati bus services continue for third day; 250+ passengers travel amid tight security on NH-2

Public transport services between Imphal and Guwahati via Dimapur and National Highway-2 continued for the third consecutive day on Monday, August 24, with more than 250 passengers leaving Imphal amid heightened security along vulnerable stretches of the highway.

According to the Manipur Chief Minister’s Secretariat, five buses and seven Winger vehicles carrying passengers, including women and children, left Imphal for Dimapur and Guwahati around 1 pm after their departure was delayed following an incident at Taphou village in Senapati district.

The government said timely intervention and public support prevented the situation from escalating and allowed the vehicles to proceed safely. It added that both sides involved in the incident had agreed to maintain peace in the area.

Adequate security personnel and Road Opening Parties (ROPs) have been deployed along vulnerable stretches of NH-2 to facilitate the safe movement of public transport vehicles, the government said.

Meanwhile, around 100 passengers who had left Guwahati for Imphal on Sunday reached the ISBT Bus Terminus in Imphal safely on Monday afternoon. No untoward incident was reported along the highway during their journey, according to the government.

Passengers who completed the journey also welcomed the resumption of public transport services.

Ngangbam Biren of Thoubal district, who travelled from Guwahati, said the journey was peaceful and pleasant and described his return to Manipur by road after more than three years as a memorable experience.

Another passenger, Okram Sunil Kumar Singh of Wangjing in Thoubal district, said his journey from Assam to Manipur via NH-2 was safe and encouraged others to use the inter-State transport service.

He also thanked the Naga and Kuki communities living along NH-2 for their cooperation in ensuring the smooth passage of vehicles.

The Manipur government said the continued use of the route by a large number of passengers reflected public confidence in the peace and security measures being undertaken to restore normal transport connectivity in the State.