Imphal: Public transport along the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route via National Highway 2 continued smoothly for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, with 268 passengers leaving Imphal in a fleet of 19 vehicles.
The fleet comprised five buses, five Winger vehicles and nine Scorpio and Bolero vehicles. The convoy departed from Imphal at around 10.10 am.
The continued movement of public transport along NH2 is part of ongoing efforts to facilitate safe and smooth travel for passengers along the route.
Laishram Bhonilal, Joint Secretary of the Interstate Taxi Association, said the initiative by the new government and the Transport Department to restore road transportation after a prolonged period of restricted travel due to the conflict was a positive and welcome step.
He said the resumption of road transportation would benefit passengers from all communities in Manipur who had faced difficulties travelling freely for several years.
Khoirom Binodini, a passenger from Phubala travelling to Kohima to visit her children, said she had previously travelled by air but found the high airfare unaffordable.
“I heard that the government had taken steps to restore road transportation, so I booked a ticket and came here alone. I am not scared. Seeing many passengers travelling together also makes me feel happy,” she said.
Binodini thanked the government for the initiative.
Another passenger, Thangjam Brajakishor from Wangjing, said the resumption of road transportation had come as a major relief after he was unable to travel freely for the past three to four years due to the conflict.
He said the service was particularly helpful for people struggling with the high cost of air travel.
“I used to pay around ₹8,000 for a flight ticket to Guwahati. Now, I can travel to Guwahati for around ₹1,000 and visit my child. This is a huge relief for people like us,” he said.
Brajakishor thanked the government and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh for the initiative and urged the government to expand road transportation services to more routes and destinations.
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