KANGPOKPI, Jan 7 : The prolonged suspension of services of Senapati bound passenger buses along National Highway between Imphal and Senapati has caused tremendous hardships to the daily commuters across the State.
Passenger bus service of Senapati came to a grinding halt ever since the torching of a passenger bus (Koubru Express) which plied along National Highway 2 between Senapati and Imphal on December 19 last, in a suspected ‘Tit for Tit’ incident, by UNC economic blockade volunteers at Taphou Naga village near Mt Everest Higher Secondary School in Senapati district along with one Tata Sumo.
Even after twenty days of the torching incident there is no sight of Senapati bound passenger buses resuming service till today inflicting untold hardships on many commuters across the State and the area people in particular.
Meanwhile, a huge cash door has been opened for diesel auto service between Kangpokpi and Senapati in the absence of passenger bus service.
Passengers have to pay a whopping fare of Rs 70 per head to reach Senapati DHQs from Kangpokpi DHQs and the same amount on return from Senapati to Kangpokpi DHQs.
Earlier passengers paid only Rs 10 per head when passenger buses were in service.
Commuters heading for the State capital from Senapati side are compelled to travel by diesel autos plying between the two district headquarters and stop at Kangpokpi DHQs to catch Kangpokpi – Imphal bound passenger buses while passengers coming from Imphal side by Kangpokpi bound passenger bus have to catch diesel autos to go to Senapati.
A passenger narrated to the media at Kangpokpi DHQs the hardships and grievances they encounter while paying a huge amount as fare stating that innocent commuters have to bear the brunt of the ‘Tit for Tat’ game.
Another passenger strongly condemned all those who have inflicted such untold misery on the innocent commuters along Imphal-Dimapur road owing to the non-service of passenger buses between Senapati and the State capital via Kangpokpi DHQs.
A businessman said the suspension of service of Senapati bound passenger buses has tremendously affected his business and he again has to hand out a handsome amount on hiring diesel auto between Senapati and Kangpokpi DHQs.
It is imperative now for all the communities in the State to refrain from directly and indirectly affecting the innocent public during any form of protest due to one reason or the other as it has become intolerable for the public to remain the worst sufferers in any dispute among any communities in the State, opined an aged woman traveller. While the agitating communities in Senapati have assured to ensure that no such incident would repeat in the future, the decision of the Senapati-Imphal bus association to suspend service could not be ascertained as no communication could be made till the time of filing this report.
Source: The Sangai Express
