Imphal: The Manipur government has resumed public transport services along National Highway 2 on Friday while restoring normalcy in the state three years after the ethnic violence. A total of 125 passengers travelled from Imphal towards Dimapur and Guwahati after the state managed to curb violence.The passengers departed Imphal in two buses and five tempo travellers, marking a significant step towards restoring normal life and strengthening connectivity in the state, an official statement said.One of the passengers, Kiyam Kumarjit Singh from Thoubal district, expressed gratitude to the state government for the initiative and hoped the resumption of the service would usher in "love, peace and harmony" among all communities."Let us all forgive and forget the past," he said.Another passenger, Nivedita from Khundrakpam village in Imphal East district, prayed that the journey would bring peace to the state.The vehicles passed through Kuki-majority Kangpokpi and Naga-dominated Senapati districts without any incident and were en route to Guwahati in Assam via Nagaland, the statement said.On August 8, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh announced the reopening of national highways for free movement of people from all communities, and said the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service would resume soon.Movement along the national highways had been severely affected following the outbreak of ethnic clashes in the state in 2023, with people from different communities refraining from travelling through areas dominated by other groups due to safety concerns and blockades.
Hundreds were killed in the state after clashes broke out between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
Meanwhile, the state is facing a fresh law and order issue after Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) launched a protest seeking to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the National Census exercise. The government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the state from August 20 to 22 in view of the protests.