Manipur-Assam-Nagaland bus service resumes after 3-year ethnic conflict halt
Synopsis
For the first time since Manipur's devastating ethnic conflict began in May 2023, buses rolled from Imphal to Guwahati on 21 August — crossing Kuki and Naga districts without incident. With 125 passengers on board and the state government backing the move, it is the most visible sign yet that the three-year rupture in normal life may slowly be healing.
Key Takeaways
Interstate bus services on the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route resumed on 21 August after a suspension of more than three years .
Services were halted after ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out on 3 May 2023 .
125 passengers travelled on Day 1 across two buses and five Wingers .
Buses passed through Kangpokpi and Senapati districts without incident.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen had announced the restart during a visit to Kangpokpi on 8 August .
Interstate passenger bus services linking Manipur, Nagaland, and Assam resumed on Friday, 21 August, ending a suspension of more than three years triggered by the ethnic violence that erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on 3 May 2023. The restart of the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route is being described by officials as a significant step toward restoring normalcy and interstate connectivity in the conflict-affected state.
First Day on the Road
A total of 125 passengers travelled on the route on the day of resumption, spread across two buses and five Wingers. According to a senior Transport Department official, the services crossed Kangpokpi — a predominantly Kuki-inhabited district — and Senapati, a Naga-inhabited district, without incident before entering Nagaland and proceeding toward Guwahati.
The smooth passage through sensitive districts was seen as a positive signal. Kiyam Kumarjit Singh from hilly Thoubal district, one of the passengers on board, expressed gratitude to the state government. 'Let us all forgive and forget the past. Let us move forward for peace and development in Manipur,' he said. Another passenger, Nivedita from Khundrakpam village in Imphal East district, added: 'May this journey bring peace in the state and God bless the government.'
Government Push Behind the Restart
The resumption follows a series of confidence-building measures by the state administration. During a visit to Kangpokpi district on 8 August, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and local MLA Haokholet Kipgen, announced the reopening of National Highways for the free movement of people from all communities. Both Nemcha Kipgen and Haokholet Kipgen belong to the tribal community, lending cross-community weight to the initiative.
At that visit, the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati service restart was specifically flagged as an imminent step. The actual resumption on 21 August fulfilled that commitment, according to officials.
Why This Matters
The Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati corridor is a critical artery for trade, healthcare access, and family movement across the three northeastern states. Its suspension since May 2023 had isolated communities and raised logistics costs for ordinary residents. The ethnic conflict in Manipur, which has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced tens of thousands, made cross-district road travel deeply fraught — making the uneventful passage through Kangpokpi and Senapati on Friday particularly notable.
This is not merely a transport story: the resumption of a shared bus route is, in the context of Manipur's fractured social landscape, a tangible act of civic normalisation. Officials said the move has been 'widely appreciated by the public,' who have welcomed the restoration of the interstate link.
What Comes Next
The state government has framed the bus service restart as part of a broader, continuing effort to rebuild confidence and normalcy. Further steps toward restoring full interstate connectivity and easing movement restrictions across community lines are expected, though no specific timeline has been announced. The durability of this progress will depend on whether ground-level tensions in the conflict zones remain contained.
Point of View
It is. The fact that services crossed Kangpokpi, the epicentre of Kuki-Zo settlement, without disruption is a data point that the state government will rightly highlight. Yet the deeper question is whether transport connectivity can outpace political reconciliation: the ethnic fault lines that shut these roads in May 2023 remain largely unresolved, with displaced communities still in relief camps. Resuming a bus route is a necessary condition for normalcy, not a sufficient one. The real test will be whether ordinary Meitei and Kuki-Zo residents begin using these buses together — and whether the state can sustain the security conditions that made Friday's journey possible.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were bus services between Manipur, Assam and Nagaland suspended?
Services were suspended following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities in Manipur on 3 May 2023. The conflict made cross-district and interstate road travel unsafe, leading to a halt that lasted more than three years.
When did the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service resume?
The service resumed on Friday, 21 August, with 125 passengers travelling on the route across two buses and five Wingers on the first day of operations.
Which districts did the buses pass through, and was there any trouble?
The buses crossed Kangpokpi, a predominantly Kuki-inhabited district, and Senapati, a Naga-inhabited district, before entering Nagaland and heading toward Guwahati. Officials confirmed the journey was completed without any incident.
What role did the Manipur government play in restarting the service?
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, and MLA Haokholet Kipgen announced the service restart during a visit to Kangpokpi on 8 August, framing it as part of broader efforts to restore peace and interstate connectivity.
What does the resumption of bus services mean for the people of Manipur?
The Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati corridor is vital for trade, healthcare access, and family movement across the three states. Its resumption is seen as a tangible step toward normalcy, though officials caution that broader reconciliation efforts are still ongoing.
