The Manipur Apex Transport Co-operative Society and All Manipur Transport Cooperative Societies Association, both which control most passenger buses, said in separate statements yesterday that all passenger buses would remain off the roads till the opening of petrol pumps in the State.

Earlier, the United Petroleum Traders and Transport Association (UPTTA) had announced that they had closed all petrol pumps for an indefinite period from Saturday last.

Official sources said today that the UPTTA had closed all petrol pumps, following a demand of Rs 50 lakh each from petrol pumps by three valley-based underground groups -- Kangleipak Communist Party, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (Oken faction).

Reports from districts said that several poor people and daily-wage earners were hardhit by transport associations' decision to stop plying passenger buses.

Reports also said that several persons who travelled by passenger buses between Manipur and the neighbouring states were also facing extreme inconvenience, following the cancellation of passenger bus services.

The All Manipur Students Union, meanwhile, has appealed to petrol pump owners and transport associations to open petrol pumps and ply the buses in view of the inconvenience and hardship the general public and poor people are going through.

The AMSU, in a statement yesterday, also urged the State Government to take up whatever possible steps to solve the present crisis and added that people were already facing a problem arising out of the frequent blockade on national highways, market bandhs and other forms of agitations by different groups.

Official sources, however, said some private transport services were plying their passenger buses between Imphal and Guwahati.

Sources said that buses belonging to these privateservices filled up their fuel from outside the State and there was no increase in fares.