Defunct Mokokchung Inter-state Bus Terminus operational again

[caption id="attachment_236404" align="aligncenter" width="565"] District administrators along with leaders of Khensa village pose for a photo before an NST bus was flagged off from ISBT at Khensa village in Mokokchung on Friday.[/caption] Our Correspondent Mokokchung, March 1(EMN): The defunct Inter-state Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Khensa village in Mokokchung started functioning again on March 1. The ISBT was completed in 2010 and inaugurated by chief minister Neiphiu Rio on August 2, 2011 but it has remained defunct for many years. The district administration and stakeholders tried to revamp the bus terminal in 2011, 2014 and the middle of 2015-16. However, its functioning was cut short due to many reasons like lack of co-operation from the public (commuters) and private bus operators owing to its distance. The ISBT is five kilometres away from Mokokchung main town. To mark the occasion, an NST bus was flagged off on Friday in the presence of ADC Mokokchung W Manpai Phom, EAC Ongpangkong Trongdiba Tongpi and Khensa village leaders. The ADC informed that the ISBT was build to ease traffic congestion in the main town and instructed the NST bus operators to ensure that they use the terminus as the transit point. He also said that private bus operators in Mokokchung will join within a few days as all formalities have been arranged. Khensa village leaders also assured that all support and co-operation would be provided for the smooth functioning of the ISBT and requested the administration to continue the facility. It is learned that Khensa Village Council (KVC), Khensa Sensotsur Telongjem (KST) and Khensa Students Union (KSU) had served a two-month ultimatum to the authorities in 2018 to make the terminus operational again. Currently, NST is providing dedicated city bus service from 7 am till dusk to carry the passengers from Mokokchung to ISBT.