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Passenger transport halt hits border trade |
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by Subhaschandra M
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Tuesday, 08 April 2008 00:00 |
Moreh: The sudden suspension of passenger transport services along India's border highway has served a body blow to Indo-Burma border trade once again.
Commercial activities on the normally busy border town Moreh, India's gateway to South Asian countries have also been paralysed. No buyers from the Indian side turned up at Myanmar's Narphalone market located across the border.
All the Tata Sumo and Maruti vans plying on the 110-km Imphal-Moreh highway, along the Indo-Burma road connecting Manipur's border town Moreh with the rest of India have suspended their normal service since Saturday following huge monetary demands by over a dozen armed rebels operating in the region.
As result the busy Moreh and Narphalone markets across the border stand to lose in terms of crores of rupees as transaction in the border town and beyond hovers around the Rs. 5 crore mark daily during normal times.
The Moreh Imphal Jeep and Tata Sumo Taxi Service Welfare Association has been compelled to stop its service to the important border town with Maruti van operators plying on the same route joining the strike on Sunday.
"The service provided by Tata Sumos and Maruti vans is important to us as all the passenger buses have been converted into goods carriers since the last few years. I prayed for an immediate settlement to resume service," Sana, a local trader said.
A meeting of transporters here decided to appeal to vehicle owners operating in the areas of Nambol, Churachandpur and Mayai Lambi in Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Imphal west districts to cease their service in solidarity with the plight of the Society, he added.
Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee Imphal-Moreh Road Transporters, Kanglapat said an urgent meeting was held at the committee office wherein representatives of bus, truck, Tata Sumo and Maruti Van associations operating on the route were told to stop service with immediate effect for an indefinite period.
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