Imphal-Guwahati bus service: 1,700+ passengers travel via NH-2 after 3-year gap
Synopsis
For the first time in over three years, buses are running between Imphal, Dimapur, and Guwahati — and more than 1,700 passengers have already made the journey. The resumption of NH-2 services is a rare piece of good news from Manipur, but a deadly militant ambush that killed four people on 27 August and shut down services for a day is a stark reminder of how fragile the peace remains.
Key Takeaways
Inter-state bus services on the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati route via NH-2 resumed on 21 August 2026 , after a gap of more than three years .
More than 1,700 passengers travelled from Imphal in the first week of resumption.
On Saturday, 29 August , a single-day record of 428 passengers departed in 19 vehicles .
Services were suspended on Friday, 28 August after a shutdown in Senapati district following a militant ambush that killed four Liangmai Naga community members in Kangpokpi district on 27 August.
The route was disrupted following the Meitei–Kuki-Zo ethnic violence that broke out on 3 May 2023 .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh have both backed the resumption as a relief measure for students and medical travellers.
More than 1,700 passengers, including women, have travelled from Imphal to Dimapur and Guwahati via National Highway-2 (NH-2) in the week since inter-state bus services between Manipur, Assam, and Nagaland resumed on 21 August 2026 — the first such resumption after ethnic violence halted road connectivity more than three years ago. The milestone signals a cautious but significant restoration of normalcy along one of the Northeast's most critical transport corridors.
Services Resume After Three-Year Disruption
Inter-state passenger bus services along the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati route were suspended following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities in Manipur on 3 May 2023. The resumption on 21 August 2026 was jointly announced on 8 August at Kangpokpi district by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, and local MLA Haokholet Kipgen, who declared the reopening of national highways for free movement of all communities.
Saturday Sees Record Single-Day Departures
According to a Manipur transport department official, Saturday, 29 August marked the first day since the resumption that departures from Imphal crossed the 400-passenger mark, with 428 passengers departing in 19 vehicles — comprising eight buses and 11 wingers. The official noted that the steady movement underscores ongoing efforts by authorities to ensure safe and hassle-free travel on this vital route.
Friday Shutdown Interrupted Services
Movement of transport vehicles was suspended on Friday, 28 August due to a shutdown in Senapati district, triggered by a violent incident the previous day. On Thursday, 27 August, four members of the Liangmai Naga community — including the principal of a private school — were killed and one person injured in an ambush by armed militants in Kangpokpi district. The incident underscored the fragile security environment that continues to shadow the region's recovery.
Government Response and Political Backing
Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier lauded the state government's initiative for successfully resuming the bus service and ensuring free movement on NH-2. Chief Minister Khemchand Singh had stated that the resumption would provide much-needed relief to the people of Manipur, particularly students studying outside the state and those travelling for medical treatment. Various sections of society have reportedly appreciated the state government's efforts on this front.
Why NH-2 Matters to Manipur
The Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati National Highway (NH-2) and the Imphal–Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) are the two primary lifelines connecting Manipur with the rest of the country. Their disruption over more than three years severely restricted the movement of goods, students, patients, and daily commuters. The restoration of NH-2 services is being seen as a broader confidence-building measure, even as the underlying ethnic tensions that triggered the 2023 violence remain unresolved. How durably the peace holds along this corridor will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not by a resolution of the underlying ethnic conflict. The 1,700-passenger figure is encouraging, but it will mean little if security incidents continue to trigger shutdowns. The real test is whether authorities can sustain uninterrupted movement for months, not days, and whether the political goodwill around the highway reopening translates into a credible peace process for the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Imphal-Guwahati inter-state bus services resume?
Inter-state bus services on the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati route via NH-2 resumed on 21 August 2026, after being suspended for more than three years following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur on 3 May 2023.
How many passengers have travelled since the services resumed?
More than 1,700 passengers have travelled from Imphal to Dimapur and Guwahati via NH-2 in the week since services resumed on 21 August 2026. On Saturday, 29 August alone, 428 passengers departed in 19 vehicles.
Why were the bus services suspended in the first place?
Services were suspended following the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities in Manipur, which broke out on 3 May 2023. NH-2 is one of the state's two primary road lifelines connecting it to the rest of India.
Why were services interrupted on Friday, 28 August?
A shutdown in Senapati district on 28 August halted vehicle movement. The shutdown was called following a militant ambush on 27 August in Kangpokpi district, in which four members of the Liangmai Naga community, including a school principal, were killed and one person was injured.
Who announced the reopening of NH-2 for inter-state travel?
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, and local MLA Haokholet Kipgen jointly announced the reopening of national highways and the resumption of the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service on 8 August at Kangpokpi district.
