State delegation secures written commitment, 300 laden trucks resume journey
IMPHAL: A Kuki organisation on Tuesday rescinded its counter-economic blockade and the accompanying total shutdown on National Highway 202 — the Imphal–Ukhrul route — following talks with a Manipur government team, officials said. The move came after the delegation, led by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas, obtained a signed assurance aimed at restoring unhindered movement of people and essential commodities.
The organisation, WCKCSOS‑Ukhrul (Kuki Civil Society Working Committee‑Ukhrul), had initiated the counter-blockade on 27 July and escalated it to a total shutdown on 5 August, protesting what it described as a selective blockade by some Naga and Meitei groups that was adversely affecting the Kuki community.
State officials told reporters that the government delegation conveyed to the Kuki body that Naga and Meitei groups had agreed to end discriminatory restrictions on movement along the Imphal–Ukhrul road. In response, a handwritten agreement was signed in which the government pledged to ensure safety and to prevent any fresh blockades or disturbances along NH‑202.
“In view of this development and the government’s assurance of free and non‑discriminatory movement of essential commodities, the WCKCSOS‑Ukhrul hereby lifts the counter‑economic blockade and total shutdown from 4:30 pm today,” the organisation said in a statement.
Following the announcement, authorities reported that about 300 goods‑laden trucks stranded in Ukhrul district were able to resume their journey towards Imphal. State MLA and government spokesperson Thokchom Radheshyam described the movement of these vehicles as an immediate practical outcome of the talks and expressed hope that momentum would build for reopening National Highway 2, the state’s principal arterial road.
Movement along NH‑2 has been disrupted since 17 May after the United Naga Council imposed an economic blockade in response to the abduction of six Nagas by alleged Kuki perpetrators. The prolonged suspension of traffic on NH‑2 forced reliance on National Highway 37 as an alternate route into Manipur from the south, which is longer and has logistical limits for heavy freight.
Officials said the written assurances were intended to be an immediate confidence‑building measure to end discriminatory impediments and to facilitate the flow of essentials across communal lines. The government also committed to taking steps to prevent any group from imposing fresh blockades that could impede relief, trade or daily life.
While the lifting of the NH‑202 shutdown is a localised breakthrough, authorities cautioned that reopening NH‑2 — a strategic lifeline used for faster transit into the valley — will require parallel confidence‑building between the Naga, Meitei and Kuki stakeholders and continued monitoring on the ground.
Security deployments and patrolling on both highways were expected to be increased, officials said, though there was no immediate public disclosure of exact troop or police numbers. The government delegation’s intervention highlighted the administration’s active role in brokering temporary arrangements to keep commerce moving while longer‑term political dialogue proceeds.
Local traders and transporters, whose livelihoods have been hit by weeks of disrupted supply chains, welcomed the lifting of the NH‑202 shutdown. They said that while the resumption of movement for 300 trucks would provide short‑term relief, the enduring solution lies in restoring full access on NH‑2 to reduce transit times and costs.
Key points emerging from the development:
- WCKCSOS‑Ukhrul lifted its counter‑economic blockade on NH‑202 after government assurances.
- The government delegation was led by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas and secured a handwritten agreement guaranteeing safety and non‑discriminatory movement.
- About 300 trucks stranded in Ukhrul resumed travel; efforts continue to clear the long‑standing NH‑2 suspension.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 17 May | NH‑2 movement suspended after United Naga Council's economic blockade |
| 27 July | WCKCSOS‑Ukhrul imposed counter‑economic blockade on NH‑202 |
| 5 August | Counter‑blockade intensified into total shutdown |
| 11 August | WCKCSOS‑Ukhrul lifted shutdown after meeting with state delegation |
Officials said the situation remains fluid and that authorities will continue engagement with all community representatives to prevent a recurrence. Restoring uninterrupted access to both NH‑202 and NH‑2 is being treated as a priority for the government to stabilise supply lines and allay local economic distress.
As the administration pursues parallel talks with Naga and Meitei groups to remove the NH‑2 blockade, transporters and traders will closely watch whether the assurances agreed for NH‑202 are implemented on the ground and whether similar guarantees can be extended for the valley’s principal highway.
