A regular bus service connecting Sairang in Mizoram with Churachandpur in southern Manipur will begin on October 1, linking the neighbouring north-eastern states through a scheduled road connection. Mizoram Transport Minister Vanlalhlana launched the service in advance on Tuesday. A private transport company will operate the service. Two 21-seater buses will run between Sairang, about 22 km from Aizawl, and Churachandpur, the headquarters of Manipur’s Kuki-Zo-majority hill district. The journey covers approximately 360 km and is expected to take around 12 hours. The fare has been fixed at Rs. 2,500 per passenger, with tickets available through the VK Tawna Bus Service mobile application. The service comes as travel between the states remains difficult following ethnic violence in Manipur that began in May 2023. Thousands of people, particularly members of the Kuki community, fled to Mizoram after the violence erupted, and many continue to live there. Mizos in Mizoram share close ethnic ties with Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur, making the route significant for families, workers and other travellers seeking a more direct connection. At the launch programme, Vanlalhlana said improved connectivity could help strengthen ties among Zo kindred communities across the region. He described Mizoram as a central home for related communities and linked unity among Zo tribes with broader nation-building. He also expressed hope that the service would substantially reduce difficulties for people travelling between Mizoram and Manipur. Zoram People’s Movement MLA and Chief Minister’s Adviser (Technical) H Ginzalala said robust connectivity was an important part of development and that the crisis had strengthened solidarity between Mizos and ethnic Zo people in Manipur. He urged passengers to uphold Mizoram’s reputation for respecting law and order while using the buses. The conflict between valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, while 49 people remain missing and thousands have been displaced, according to figures cited in the report.