Aizawl/Agartala, May 9 (IANS): To further strengthen people-to-people relationship, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday launched an inter-state bus service with Tripura.

Officials in Aizawl said that a passenger bus of Mizoram State Transport Corporation (MSTC) will ply between Aizawl and northern Tripura's Behliangchhip, which falls in the Jampui Hills, predominantly inhabited by various Zo or Mizo kindred tribes.

The transport authorities of Tripura and Mizoram earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding to operate the bus service. The MSTC buses would depart from Aizawl on Monday and Thursday and will return from Behliangchhip on Tuesday and Friday. According to the transport department officials, efforts are on to operate a bus service between Aizawl and southern Manipur's Churachandpur, where a substantial number of Mizo people live.

Mizoram now operates inter-state transport services with Assam's Guwahati and Silchar cities.

After flagging off the bus service in Aizawl, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that Mizoram, now considered by many as one of the most peaceful states, has also initiated several steps to build a healthy relationship with its neighbouring states as well as the adjoining countries. He hoped that a bus service like this would promote national integration and also a friendly environment across the neighbouring states while providing much needed convenience for passengers on either side. He added that more efforts would be made to improve the connecting roads that Mizoram shares with its neighbouring states and thanked the Tripura government for its cooperation.