Bus service to resume on Imphal-Kangpokpi, Imphal-Churachandpur line from today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal/Kangpokpi, December 03 2024: After a failed attempt last year, the Government has decided to resume movement of public vehicles along two routes viz Imphal-Churachandpur and Imphal-Senapati 'with adequate security deployment' from tomorrow (December 4) .

Meanwhile, civil society organizations in Kangpokpi have imposed a 48-hour total shutdown in the district, effective from the midnight of December 3 in response to the Government's initiative.

The Kuki-Zo communities, while opposing the move, accused the Government of attempting to "forcefully normalize" the situation in the region.

Local shops, schools, markets, and other businesses will remain closed, however vehicular movement will be exempted from the purview of the shutdown.

Vehicular movement will however be restricted if the Government fails to rollback its decision.

The civil society organizations have also called for the immediate closure of Government offices in Kangpokpi.

However, educational institutions in the district, considering the ongoing academic examinations, will be exempted from the shutdown.

It may be mentioned that the Government made a similar effort last year on December 23 but the initiative failed as the Imphal-Senapati bus took a U-turn from Gamgiphai near Kanglatongbi and the Imphal-Churachandpur bus turned back towards Imphal from Phougakchao Ikhai due to reported road blocks by Kuki volunteers at different points.

A public appeal on reopening the highway stretches was issued by Chief Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi today as he said that the decision was taken after reviewing the law and order situation in Manipur and after taking inputs from different agencies.

The routes which will be opened for public vehicles are Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati; Senapati-Kangpokpi-Imphal; Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur and Churachandpur-Bishnupur-Imphal.

The Chief Secretary said that the movement will be restricted to fixed hours only and the people desirous of taking the route should contact their respective Deputy Commissioners through the mobile number Imphal West (8837448704), Imphal East (8131942004), Kangpokpi (9612700785), Senapati (8798198810/6009384139), Bishnupur (8837058764) and Churachandpur 841505279.Notably, Churachandpur is the place where the violence first erupted on May 3 last year so how the Government plans to make Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur operational without any disturbances remains to be seen.

Saying that adequate security measures have been taken up to resume the movement of public vehicles along the routes, Dr Vineet Joshi appealed to the people to start using the routes and refrain from resorting to any form of violence or illegal acts which will disrupt the vehicular movements.

"Anybody without any exception, if found involved in any act which disturbs such movement of vehicles and communication of people along these routes shall be dealt with sternly and persecuted under relevant laws of the land", he said.

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