Inter-state passenger bus services on the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route resumed this week for the first time in more than three years, with buses carrying over 200 passengers on their second consecutive day passing through both Kuki-majority Kangpokpi and Naga-dominated Senapati districts without incident — a rare tangible sign of normalisation in a state whose two main communities have remained largely segregated since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.
Background
Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, and has since claimed hundreds of lives, displaced tens of thousands of people, and effectively partitioned the state along ethnic lines, with the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo-dominated hill districts functioning as largely separate zones with restricted movement between them. National Highway 2 (NH-2), which runs through Kangpokpi district and connects Imphal to Dimapur in Nagaland and onward to Guwahati in Assam, is Manipur's principal road link to the rest of Northeast India and the national highway network — making it a lifeline for both passenger movement and the transport of essential commodities into the landlocked state.
Since the conflict began, movement along NH-2 has been repeatedly disrupted by blockades from community groups on both sides, at times enforced indefinitely, cutting off the most direct road route between Manipur and its neighbouring states. Efforts to reopen the highway have followed a difficult, stop-start path: Kuki groups temporarily suspended a blockade after an appeal from Union Home Minister Amit Shah at one point, and ahead of a since-discussed visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state, Kuki organisations had separately agreed to free movement along a stretch of NH-2 — though subsequent reports of "flip-flops" and continued restrictions in designated buffer zones showed how fragile those earlier commitments proved in practice.
Key Details
- Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and Saitu MLA Haokholet Kipgen jointly announced the reopening of national highways for free movement of all communities, along with resumption of the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service, at a public meeting in Kangpokpi on August 8, 2026.
- Regular bus services resumed the following Friday after a suspension of more than three years, with 125 passengers travelling from Imphal toward Dimapur and Guwahati in two buses and five tempo travellers on the first day, passing through Kangpokpi and Senapati districts without incident.
- On the second consecutive day of operations, more than 200 passengers travelled from Imphal in a fleet of four buses and six Winger vehicles, again passing through the mountainous Kangpokpi stretch smoothly.
- The reopening followed a tripartite meeting in New Delhi among representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Manipur government, and Kuki armed group umbrella bodies the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF), which concluded with the signing of a renegotiated Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement for a further one-year period.
- Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh separately stated around Independence Day, August 15, 2026, that the path to development in Manipur runs through peace, citing continuing Centre-led steps to improve law and order and ongoing talks with representatives of different communities.
At a Glance
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Conflict onset | May 3, 2023 (Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence) |
| NH-2 bus service suspension duration | Over 3 years |
| Reopening announcement | August 8, 2026, at Kangpokpi |
| Day 1 passengers | 125 (2 buses + 5 tempo travellers) |
| Day 2 passengers | 200+ (4 buses + 6 Winger vehicles) |
| Route | Imphal → Kangpokpi → Senapati → Dimapur (Nagaland) → Guwahati (Assam) |
| Related political process | Tripartite SoO agreement renewed for 1 year (MHA, Manipur govt, KNO, UPF) |
Local Impact
For ordinary residents of Manipur, particularly in the Imphal Valley, the resumption of direct bus service to Guwahati restores a transport option that had effectively vanished for three years, during which travellers needing to reach Assam, Nagaland or destinations beyond had to rely on costlier and less convenient alternatives, including domestic flights out of Imphal, given NH-2's role as the shortest overland connection to the rest of the region and to national rail and air hubs beyond the Northeast.
The symbolic weight of the route may matter as much as its practical utility: buses travelling from Meitei-majority Imphal through Kuki-majority Kangpokpi and Naga-dominated Senapati districts without incident, on two consecutive days, represents one of the more visible tests of whether ordinary movement across Manipur's ethnic fault lines can resume even while the underlying political dispute remains unresolved. For communities along the route in Kangpokpi and Senapati, resumed through-traffic also carries economic significance, from roadside commerce to transport-linked employment that blockades had suppressed for years.
What Happens Next
Given the highway's history of stop-start reopenings and subsequent renewed restrictions, sustained normal operation over subsequent weeks — rather than the first two days alone — will be the real test of whether this reopening holds. The newly renegotiated one-year Suspension of Operations agreement between the Centre, Manipur government and Kuki umbrella groups KNO and UPF provides a formal framework intended to underpin continued de-escalation, though it will require follow-through from all sides given past instances where announced free-movement commitments were not fully honoured on the ground in designated buffer zones. Continued dialogue between Manipur's government and community representatives, which Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has cited as ongoing, is expected to remain the primary channel for addressing unresolved underlying grievances between the two communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service suspended for three years?
Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, leading to repeated blockades and severe disruption of movement along National Highway 2, the route's main road, which suspended regular inter-state bus services.
When did the bus service resume and how many passengers travelled?
Services resumed on Friday, August 14, 2026 (the day after the August 8 announcement), with 125 passengers on day one and more than 200 passengers on day two, travelling through Kangpokpi and Senapati districts without incident on both days.
Who announced the highway reopening?
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and Saitu MLA Haokholet Kipgen jointly announced the reopening at a public meeting in Kangpokpi on August 8, 2026.
What is the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement mentioned in connection with this reopening?
It is a formal agreement between the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Manipur government, and Kuki armed group umbrella bodies the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF), renegotiated and signed for a further one-year term, intended to support continued de-escalation including highway movement.
Has NH-2 been reopened successfully before, only to close again?
Yes. Kuki groups had previously suspended a blockade temporarily after an appeal from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and separately agreed to free movement along a stretch of NH-2 ahead of a planned prime ministerial visit, but subsequent reports described continued restrictions in designated buffer zones, showing the fragility of earlier reopening attempts.
Which districts does the reopened route pass through?
The route runs from Imphal through Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district and Naga-dominated Senapati district in Manipur, continuing to Dimapur in Nagaland and onward to Guwahati in Assam.
Why is NH-2 so important to Manipur?
It is Manipur's principal overland link to the rest of Northeast India and the national highway network, making it critical for both passenger travel and the movement of essential commodities into the landlocked state.
What did Manipur's Chief Minister say about the path forward?
Around Independence Day 2026, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said the path to development in Manipur runs through peace, pointing to Centre-led steps on law and order and ongoing talks with representatives of different communities.
Sources
Outlook India, Northeast Live TV, Deccan Herald, The Tribune, Organiser, ProKerala.