Imphal-Guwahati bus service resumes after more than three years
Bus services between Imphal and Guwahati have resumed after a three-year suspension caused by ethnic conflict in Manipur. The reopening of this key transport link is viewed as a positive step toward restoring normalcy and inter-community harmony.
Why it matters
Signals a potential de-escalation in a long-standing regional ethnic conflict and the restoration of critical infrastructure.
The Imphal-Guwahati bus service via Nagaland’s Dimapur resumed on Friday (August 21, 2026) after more than three years, raising hopes for sustainable peace in conflict-scarred Manipur.
The bus service on National Highway-2, the more preferred of Manipur’s two lifelines, had been the primary mode of surface communication for most people in the State with the world beyond. This service was a major casualty of the ethnic conflict that broke out between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the non-tribal Meitei communities on May 3, 2023.
Manipur government officials said 125 passengers left for Guwahati, Assam’s principal city, from Imphal in two buses and five wingers on Friday (August 21, 2026) morning.
“The resumption of this service is an important step towards restoring normal life and strengthening connectivity. People have welcomed the restoration of this crucial inter-State link,” a government spokesperson said.
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