HT DIGITAL
AIZAWL, AUGUST 1: In a major initiative to rectify the worsening state of Mizoram’s main road, commercial vehicle operators have declared a week-long closure of services on the vital NH-306/NH-6 section from Vairengte to Aizawl from August 4. The closure is intended to speed up current repair work on the badly damaged road, which has been extensively affected by relentless monsoon rains, especially in the Sairang-Kawnpui section.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, transporters emphasized that the suspension is not a protest but a voluntary measure intended to allow uninterrupted restoration work. However, they issued a strong warning, stating that if the state government and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) fail to complete the repairs within the expected timeframe, they will resort to agitation.
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NH-306, alternatively known as NH-6 in some sections, is the lifeline of Mizoram connecting the state to Silchar in Assam and the rest of the nation. It is the sole overland connection for the delivery of vital supplies into the landlocked state.
These repair works are ongoing presently and are being carried out jointly by NHIDCL and Mizoram Public Works Department (PWD), the officials state. The temporary halt in heavy vehicle movement will help spur the speed of these repairs.
Simultaneously, a threatened indefinite strike by the Guwahati-based Northeast Petroleum Mazdoor Union—organized in protest over the condition of the roads—was called off after an appeal by the Mizoram government, which has offered to take remedial action.
Even with the suspension, movement of crucial supplies hasn’t completely stopped. On Thursday, 106 goods trucks, including 12 LPG tankers and six oil tankers, were permitted to travel from Kawnpui to Aizawl. Besides, 84 vehicles, including empty trucks and stuck LPG carriers at Khamrang, were approved to move towards Assam. Up to today, 382 trucks destined for Aizawl are still stranded at Kawnpui, while 46 vehicles going to Assam are stranded at Khamrang, authorities confirmed.
