The Joint Transporters Committee Manipur (JOTCOM) on Saturday announced that all passenger service vehicles from Imphal along National Highway 37 and 2 would be stopped until free movement and normalcy is restored in both highways.
JOTCOM also appealed to all unauthorized agents not to continue passenger service along both highways and stated that the agents would take the sole responsibility of any untoward incidents occurred to their vehicle and passengers.
Speaking to the media at JOTCOM office, Imphal co-convenor of the committee, Wangjam Sanatomba highlighted that JOTCOM and three other transport association had convened a meeting on May 12 and 13 in connection with the present situation along the highways.
"The meeting discussed the difficulties faced by the transporters and the passengers due to the ongoing tension in the state," he said.
He pointed out that the meeting resolved to stop passenger service until free movement of vehicle and passengers were allowed.
Sanatomba continued that there had been cases of discrimination against passengers in which passenger of a particular community were barred from passing through while the rest were allowed.
There are certain places in NH 2 and NH 37 where identification of passengers and their community is being conducted, he added.
He appealed to state authorities to initiate measures to allow free movement of passengers and goods-laden trucks along both the highways.
He also appealed to unauthorized passenger service agents in Manipur to stop their passenger service until a solution is reached and added that the agents would bear the sole responsibility of any untoward incident to the vehicle and passenger if they continue their service against the appeal.
He informed that a memorandum would also be submitted to the chief security advisor of Manipur, Kuldeep Singh, to provide proper security for safe passage of the vehicles along the highways.
