The Children of Peace Channel, along with public leaders and community representatives, have appealed to the Nagaland State Transport (NST) department to introduce a regular bus service between Niuland and Dimapur, stating that the absence of affordable public transport continues to deny children and residents access to learning, exposure, and development opportunities.
According to Peace Channel, the children shared the challenges with the Peace Channel Club members about the challenges they face in travelling to neighbouring districts due to high cost of private transportation.
Public leaders, village chairmen, and civil society representatives who met the Peace Channel team echoed these concerns, pointing out that despite being the headquarters of a newly created district, Niuland remains poorly connected in terms of public transport.
The issue became more pronounced when several children were unable to attend training programmes and Peace Retreat Sessions held in Dimapur and Chümoukedima because there was no viable transport option available.
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Taking note of the situation, Peace Channel brought the concern to the attention of two MSW students from NEISSR, Jese T Sumi and Yantsumong, who subsequently carried out a basic needs assessment in the affected villages. Their findings confirmed that the lack of regular NST services is contributing to educational, social, and developmental disadvantages for the people of the district.
In an appeal, children accompanied by Peace Channel Club members and local leaders have now requested the NST authorities to introduce a daily, or at least a regular, bus service between Niuland and Dimapur, describing it as a “Christmas gift” to the people of Niuland. They said such a service would not only ease financial burdens but also enable them to learn, observe, and participate more actively in opportunities and events across Nagaland.
Their appeal has been submitted through Peace Channel, with the children and community expressing hope that the NST department would respond positively to their genuine and pressing needs.
