CM N Biren flagged off the Somdal Imphal Bus service from the Manipur State Transport (MST) Complex, Moirangkhom on Tuesday. Somdal, located in the west of Ukhrul, is the birth place of NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.
The state-run Somdal-Imphal Bus Service was launched as a part of the state government’s effort to provide more efficient public transport for the people.
“Happy to launch the Somdal-Imphal Bus Service by MST. The MST was revived after the BJP government in 2019, with 30 buses providing services to 12 routes at low fares for all. Looking forward to establishing more efficient public transport for the people of Manipur,” the chief minister said in a Tweeted.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister stated that the launching of a bus service might be a small programme but it could be taken as a big step towards filling the communication and developmental gaps between different areas of the state.
Maintaining person-to-person communication and sharing ideas, getting in touch with one another among different communities would bring equality in the State, he added.
Maintaining that the State Government had been putting in maximum effort to bring development, N Biren continued that the State had witnessed drastic changes in hill areas with improvement in road infrastructure, security, education and health sector among others.
Stressing the importance of quality control in the construction work in Pettigrew College of Ukhrul District which had been going on in full swing, he appealed to the public not to make any disturbance which would hinder the construction work. He further expressed the desire and efforts of the Government to bring up the College to University level.
The chief minister informed that the erstwhile Manipur State Road Transport Corporation, which had remained non-functional for a long time, was revived as Manipur State Transport (MST) with the objective of facilitating the public with accessible low cost transportation across the State.
Currently, the MST buses are plying on 21 different roads which will be increased to 22 including Somdal Imphal bus service launched today. He appealed to the public not to create any disturbance in any road construction works as proper road infrastructure is of utmost importance to bring equal development in all areas of the State.
With equal development, there will be a prevalence of peace and healthy relationships among different communities, he added.
Manipur Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata, Transport Minister Khashim Vashum, Officials of Transport Department and Manipur State Transport and village chiefs of Ukhrul district also attended the launching programme among others.
The Somdal to Imphal bus will depart from Somdal village for Imphal at 7 am and will depart from ISBT, Imphal for Somdal at 1 pm on every working day. The bus fare for the same is Rs 200.