Seven-Hour Detours, Doubled Fares: Manipur Unrest Turns Ukhrul–Imphal Commute into a Daily Ordeal

Ukhrul: Ongoing security threats along National Highway 202 (NH-202) have forced residents of Manipur’s Ukhrul and Kamjong districts to abandon their primary arterial route to Imphal, pushing daily commuters onto rugged, poorly maintained village roads.

Since fresh tensions erupted in February 2026, the standard three-hour journey along NH-202 via Litan has become a dangerous gamble. Despite security deployments and convoy escorts, repeated gun attacks by suspected armed militants have rendered the highway perilous. Following fatal ambushes in April and May, passenger and supply vehicles came under fire again near TM Kasom on November 4.

To reach the state capital, travellers from Ukhrul, Kamjong, and parts of Senapati now rely on interconnected village roads (IVRs), primarily the single-lane Ramva–Napetpali and Itham Moirangpurel–Hongbei–Ramva corridors. Built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), this rural lifeline winds through over a dozen villages—including Shokvao, Lungphu, and Nongdam—and stretches the trip to six or seven hours.

The detour has inflicted heavy economic and personal tolls. Narrow, potholed terrain prevents heavy commercial buses and cargo trucks from using the route, severely disrupting local agricultural trade. Meanwhile, passenger fares have more than doubled, jumping from Rs 300 to Rs 750 per person.

“Travelling along the longer route has become a punishment to us since the road condition is in bad shape and it is like offroading to some jungle,” said Awon, a frequent commuter between Ukhrul and Imphal. “Also, we are compelled to spend at least two to three days in Imphal since we cannot return to Ukhrul on the same day due to the long distance.”

Although the alternative route avoids conflict flashpoints, residents are advised against night travel due to prevailing insecurity, leaving medical emergencies particularly perilous.

Frustration over state inaction is mounting. While Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah previously urged Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to upgrade the Ramva–Napetpali stretch into a state highway, only minor local repairs have occurred. Social activist Ashang Kashar has warned the government of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) if the lifeline is not repaired before Christmas.

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