In a significant breakthrough towards restoring normalcy in Manipur, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has agreed to reopen National Highway-2 for free movement of vehicles and essential goods, the Union home ministry (MHA) announced on Thursday.
The decision followed a series of meetings in New Delhi between KZC leaders and MHA officials. The council has also assured full cooperation with security forces deployed along the crucial lifeline highway, which connects Manipur to Nagaland and the rest of the Northeast.
NH-2 had remained blocked amid ethnic clashes since May 2023, severely affecting supply lines. The reopening is being seen as a confidence-building step to ease hardships faced by displaced families and those in relief camps.
Alongside, a tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement was signed between the MHA, Manipur government, and armed groups Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) on revised ground rules, effective for one year. The agreement reaffirms Manipur’s territorial integrity, relocation of designated camps away from conflict zones, stricter verification of cadres, and safe storage of weapons under CRPF and BSF watch.