Manipur Conducts Protected Trial Run on NH-2 Amid Ethnic Tensions: A Step Towards Restoring Free Movement

The vehicles received escorts from state police and Central Armed Police Forces during the trial run.

Imphal:

A trial run of passenger vehicles commenced on Saturday along the Imphal-Senapati segment of National Highway 2, representing an initiative to restore safe and free movement in Manipur. State police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) provided escorts for the vehicles, with drivers and assistants specifically selected from communities other than Meitei and Kukis.

Sources indicated that no passengers from the conflicting Meitei and Kuki communities were aboard the vehicles, as this initiative represents a gradual approach to reopening NH-2 for regular movement.

Reports confirm that a convoy consisting of eight vehicles, under the protection of police and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, departed from Kangpokpi toward Imphal at 6:15 am and successfully reached Bir Tikendrajit International Airport by 7:30 am.

The convoy was planned to make its return journey from Imphal airport to Kangpokpi via P Khullen Village, an area inhabited by the Naga community, at approximately 4:30 pm.

A separate convoy of eight vehicles, also under police and BSF escort, traveled from Awang Sekmai toward Senapati, passing through Kangpokpi at 8 am. Both convoys operated without carrying any passengers.

This development follows the Kuki-Zo Council's (KZC) agreement several weeks ago to reopen NH-2 for free movement of commuters and essential goods, after the extension of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact until September 3, 2025.

However, the KZC subsequently clarified that it has not permitted completely unrestricted movement. The council stated that while it is cooperating with central security forces along the Kangpokpi stretch of NH-2, it will not fully reopen the highway to individuals from the Meitei community until a resolution to the ethnic conflict is achieved.

The KZC had specified that individuals from either community should not cross the designated "buffer zones" until a settlement is reached.