IMPHAL, Feb 24: The suspension of services of the inter-state passenger buses along National Highway-39 has caused immense hardships to the travelers along this route. The services have been suspended owing to the unbearable extortion demands served on them by militant groups operating in the state, a source said Sunday.
The ticket booking counters in Imphal have also remained closed since yesterday.
People are traveling upto Dimapur in Nagaland for their onward journey to other states in taxis which have also hiked the fares due to the heavy demand. Taxi services which are seen operating in the normal time are taking upto Rs. 500 per passenger and that too is not easily available.
Others who are in great need of reaching their destinations outside the state for urgent work, most importantly candidates appearing in competitive examinations, were seen rushing to the air ticket counters for air journey upto Guhawati.
Some youths who were scheduled to leave today for taking part in a typing test for the post of junior accountant officers of the Airports Authority of India at Guhawati, which is to commence from February 26, strongly lamented the suspension of services and said that it would be a great disappointment if they could not appear in the test.
"We are preparing for the examination with high hopes and if we cannot reach in time our long cherished dream will be shattered," they lamented before leaving the counter where they came to refund their tickets.
They left the counter and proceeded to the air ticket counters nearby to look for tickets upto Guwahati.
According to a person running an inter-state bus ticket counter at North AOC in Imphal, buses had suspended their services from yesterday (February 23) as they received threats of attack from a militant group for not meeting their demands.
The person, who did not want to be named, said that not only cadres of a group of Kangleipak Communists Party, KCP, but other groups of the same outfit have been pressing the proprietors of the buses and booking counters to meet their demands for money.
However, he did not disclose the amount demanded by each group but hinted that the amount is huge and beyond the capacity of the owners of the buses.
The inter-state bus services in Manipur, mention may be made, have suspended their services frequently in the last few years owing to the militant extortion demands.
Last year also, on many occasions, they had to suspend their services due to the militant demands.
IFP
The ticket booking counters in Imphal have also remained closed since yesterday.
People are traveling upto Dimapur in Nagaland for their onward journey to other states in taxis which have also hiked the fares due to the heavy demand. Taxi services which are seen operating in the normal time are taking upto Rs. 500 per passenger and that too is not easily available.
Others who are in great need of reaching their destinations outside the state for urgent work, most importantly candidates appearing in competitive examinations, were seen rushing to the air ticket counters for air journey upto Guhawati.
Some youths who were scheduled to leave today for taking part in a typing test for the post of junior accountant officers of the Airports Authority of India at Guhawati, which is to commence from February 26, strongly lamented the suspension of services and said that it would be a great disappointment if they could not appear in the test.
"We are preparing for the examination with high hopes and if we cannot reach in time our long cherished dream will be shattered," they lamented before leaving the counter where they came to refund their tickets.
They left the counter and proceeded to the air ticket counters nearby to look for tickets upto Guwahati.
According to a person running an inter-state bus ticket counter at North AOC in Imphal, buses had suspended their services from yesterday (February 23) as they received threats of attack from a militant group for not meeting their demands.
The person, who did not want to be named, said that not only cadres of a group of Kangleipak Communists Party, KCP, but other groups of the same outfit have been pressing the proprietors of the buses and booking counters to meet their demands for money.
However, he did not disclose the amount demanded by each group but hinted that the amount is huge and beyond the capacity of the owners of the buses.
The inter-state bus services in Manipur, mention may be made, have suspended their services frequently in the last few years owing to the militant extortion demands.
Last year also, on many occasions, they had to suspend their services due to the militant demands.
IFP
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