# Manipur Highway Blockades: Apex Court Directs Rival Groups and NHAI to Submit Unified Traffic Restoration Roadmap

> The Supreme Court has instructed opposing groups in Manipur and NHAI to present a comprehensive joint plan for reopening blocked national highways disrupting essential supplies.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Manipur · **Published:** 2026-08-15 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/manipur/manipur-rajamarga-nakabndi-shirsha-adalata-ne-pratidvndvi-samuhon-aura-nhai-se-yatayata-bahali-ki-snyukta-yojana-mangi-16954 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Manipur, Supreme Court, National Highways, NH-2, Kangpokpi, Blockade, NHAI

The Supreme Court of India has called upon opposing factions in Manipur to jointly construct an all-inclusive strategy aimed at clearing arterial national highways that have remained barricaded during ongoing regional friction. A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, highlighted that ongoing road blockades inflict severe suffering on everyday citizens while halting the movement of critical goods across the state. Emphasizing that continuous highway obstructions fail to advance the cause of any involved party, the court underscored that these transit arteries represent an indispensable lifeline for the general populace.

## Judicial Warnings Against Selective Route Solutions
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Surya Kant sounded a note of caution regarding the legal remedies requested by the litigants. While acknowledging that the petition highlighted genuine grievances regarding transport stoppages, the Bench pointed out that broad, sweeping judicial mandates requiring state action might inadvertently spark fresh violence against non-combatant citizens. The court maintained that the central issue before it concerns the overarching public necessity of clearing barricades along National Highway 2 (NH-2) and guaranteeing the smooth restoration of essential services and supplies.

Rejecting any piecemeal or route-by-route solution, the tribunal noted that opening a single corridor while leaving adjacent transit links sealed would fail to resolve the comprehensive logistics breakdown in the region. Consequently, the court ordered that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) be formally impleaded as a party to the proceedings. Furthermore, newly joined respondents and petitioners were instructed to submit full details of every impacted highway and road, along with actionable proposals to restore normal vehicular movement under the oversight of a neutral body.

## Petitioner Claims of Economic Siege and Humanitarian Crisis
The legal action was initiated by the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), which filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. The organization approached the apex court seeking immediate judicial directions to compel authorities to secure unhindered transit for food, fuel, and medical items into Kuki-Zo inhabited zones within Kangpokpi district. In its submission, the group contended that sustained highway blockades amount to a form of collective punishment that has spiraled into an acute humanitarian emergency.

According to a statement issued by the petitioner on July 28, civil society organizations representing Naga communities in Manipur had enforced highway restrictions starting around May 17. The group asserted that these blockades drastically choked off indispensable provisions to Kuki-Zo villages. Representing the petitioner in court, Senior Advocate Anand Grover explained that these prolonged movement bans had precipitated severe shortages of basic foodstuffs and forced the suspension of regular schooling activities across Kangpokpi district.

## Counter-Allegations and Defense Arguments in Court
Presenting arguments for the opposing side, counsel Ngangom Junior, appearing on behalf of the International Meitei Organization, strongly contested the prayers in the writ petition. The defense attorney characterized the legal petition as mischievous and alleged that factions associated with the petitioner were simultaneously carrying out blockades along key alternative state roadways.

Addressing these conflicting claims, the Supreme Court reiterated its refusal to deal with the crisis through fragmented intervention. The Bench mandated that both side counsel compile an exhaustive list of all barricaded corridors and collaborate on a consensus-driven plan. This joint blueprint is intended to facilitate the free transit of civilian traffic while operating under neutral administrative supervision.

## Ground Reality of Blockades and Escalating Regional Tensions
The ongoing transport impasses have paralyzed major arterial corridors throughout Manipur, including National Highway 2 (NH-2), which serves as a crucial transit route connecting Imphal with Dimapur in neighboring Nagaland. Following the closure of NH-2, Kuki groups retaliated by establishing counter-blockades along National Highway 202 (NH-202), further compounding the logistical paralysis across the state.

These transport disruptions stemmed directly from a series of violent clashes in May 2026. On May 13, suspected armed attackers launched a deadly ambush against Kuki-Zo church leaders, including pastors from the Thadou Baptist community, in Kangpokpi district as they returned from a peace meeting. That violent assault resulted in three fatalities and left multiple individuals injured, triggering the chain of blockades and legal battles now before the highest court.

## What this means for you
**Across India:** The proceedings reinforce judicial precedents regarding unhindered public transit rights on national highways during civil disputes.

**In Manipur:** Reopening the blocked highways will ease severe shortages of essential commodities like food, fuel, and vital medicines in Imphal and Kangpokpi.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What did the Supreme Court direct regarding the Manipur highway blockades?
The court instructed all rival factions, petitioners, and NHAI to submit a joint blueprint to reopen all blocked national highways across Manipur.

### 2. Which national highways are currently affected in Manipur?
Traffic remains severely paralyzed along NH-2, which connects Imphal with Dimapur, as well as counter-blockades on NH-202.

### 3. Who filed the petition in the Supreme Court?
The writ petition was filed by the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights under Article 32 of the Constitution.

### 4. What specific background event triggered the recent blockades?
An ambush on May 13, 2026, targeting Kuki-Zo church pastors in Kangpokpi district left three people dead and sparked further blockades.

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