Grandiose plan to re-open bus service falls flat
Govt's move reduced to a mockery
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal/Bishnupur, December 04 2024: The 'ambitious' undertaking of the Government to resume interdistrict bus service viz Imphal-Churachandpur and Imphal-Senapati after 19 months fell flat again as not a single passenger came out to take the trip on the first day.

It is reported that tight security measures were taken up along Tiddim Road in Bishnupur by the Central and State forces to ensure safe movement of the MST buses but the buses never turned up in the district.

Similar efforts to resume the public bus service failed in December last year too as the Imphal-Senapati bus returned from Gamgiphai near Kanglatongbi and the Imphal-Churachandpur bus from Phougakchao Ikhai due to roadblocks by Kuki volunteers.

Notably, the Manipur State Transport (MST) arranged four buses at its office at Moirangkhom to resume the inter-district bus service-Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati, Senapati-Kangpokpi-Imphal, Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur and Churachandpur-Bishnupur-Imphal right from early morning a day after Chief Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi issued a notification to reopen the highway stretches.

The Chief Secretary said that the decision to reopen the two routes for public vehicles was taken after reviewing the law and order situation and considering the inputs from different agencies.

Adequate security measures were also taken up to escort the buses but the initiative went in vain as not a single passenger came out to take the buses.

Other passenger services, however, continued their routine movement along Im-phal-Kangpokpi-Senapati-Mao and Imphal-Churachandpur routes by carrying Meitei-Pangal, Naga and non-local passengers.

The drivers are all non-Meiteis.

Meanwhile, many social media users shared their opinions on the reopening of the Imphal-Senapati and Imphal-Churachandpur routes.

One of the posts said that people will feel safe to travel along the two routes if the Chief Minister volunteers first to go to Churachandpur.

People should not be treated like sacrificial lambs.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, a prominent personality, on the condition of anonymity, said that the Government reopening the Imphal-Churachandpur and Imphal-Senapati is understandable but it won't resolve the crisis in Manipur.

No Meetei or Kuki individuals will come out and take the public bus services by putting their lives at risk, he said and added that Meeteis will automatically go to hill districts on the land route and the Kukis will come to Imphal on other passenger vehicles even if the Government doesn't resume the MST bus services if they feel safe.

Expressing desire for the Government to focus on resolving the protracted crisis in Manipur first by consulting with the Centre, he added that neither Meeteis nor Kukis will go to places which they feel unsafe even if the Government takes up different initiatives to bridge the gap.

In Bishnupur, one woman said that there is no restriction of any kind on private passenger vehicles entering Churachandpur.

Saying that the Meeteis, however, cannot enter Churachandpur as of yet due to security reason, she asked on what ground did the Government think that Meetei civilians would take the public buses to Churachandpur when even Meeteis in police force can't go to the district.

The distrust between the Meeteis and Kukis is still prevalent, she continued and added that the division which exists today may not have emerged had the Government stopped the conflict within the first 10 days.

She also asked how the Government is planning to end the unrest when residents of Torbung cannot go to their places which have been flattened by the Kukis without obtaining a permit from the security forces.

Let the Chief Minister go to Churachandpur if he thinks it is safe for the Meeteis to go to the district, she dared.

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