With Imphal-Dimapur route off limits..Travel agencies left high and dry
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 21 2024: Hanjabam Tarunkumar Sharma had quite a content life before May 3, 2023 when Imphal-Guwahati road was opened to all vehicles.

He owns a travel agency, and before the Meitei-Kuki conflict, he was "earning enough money" and his family was happy.

Now, vehicles belonging to the Meitei community can no longer pass through Kuki dominated areas along Imphal-Guwahati road.

Many buses and other vehicles have been burnt on the road, and the 64-year-old is now left with no source of income.

"Before the present crisis, I earned enough money for my family from my travel agency.

But that has gone now and I"m now busy finding ways for a source of income," Tarunkumar said.

He informed that the number of trips per day for Imphal-Guwahati bus service has been reduced from 12 in the past to just 2 at present with a mere accommodation of 10 to 15 passengers per trip.

He added that the buses which can still run on the highways belong to the non-Meitei people.

Notably, there had been multiple instances of buses and other vehicles being burnt along the National Highway-2 since may 3, 2023 .

Tarunkumar, who is also the president of All Manipur Inter-State Bus and Allied Transport Association, went on to maintain that many owners of the Imphal based inter-State transporters who had procured vehicles for Imphal bound inter-State passenger services on loans are now bearing the brunt of paying EMIs.

The transporters who have been pushed out of their vocation would get relief if they are given moratoriums on the loans, he said.

Yellangbam Govind (52), a driver who is now unemployed said around 300 drivers and conductors of the inter-State transport service have lost their jobs to the conflict.

The drivers/conductors have no other means of earning livelihood.

They are struggling daily to make ends meet, he said, urging the Government to initiate a welfare scheme for them. Sorokhaibam Bikudor (58), who has been working behind the ticket booking counter for Imphal-Guwahati bus service at North AOC for over 40 years, too lamented that the ongoing crisis has jeopardized his job.

Bikudor said he earns merely Rs 200 a day and is thinking about changing jobs and trying his luck elsewhere.

"The buses that run Imphal-Guwahati-Imphal can no longer rely on ferrying passengers only.

There aren't many passengers.

The only option left is to ferry goods with the passengers," he said.

Bikudor said the Highway desperately needs adequate security forces for unhindered transport service.

2 or 3 battalions of India Reserve Battalion or Manipur Rifles would be enough to provide security along the vulnerable spots, he said.

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