More vehicles left stranded at Jiribam

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 18 : While more than 800 goods laden trucks including tankers carrying fuel are stranded at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam, 174 vehicles left the border district for Imphal under a convoy on security escort today.
The 174 vehicles which left Jiribam include 20 petrol tankers, 19 diesel tankers, 11 multi-compartment tankers carrying both petrol and diesel, 4 ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) tankers, 25 LPG tankers, 2 SK Oil and 103 goods trucks.
Presently, there are around 420 trucks and tankers stuck at Jiribam awaiting security escorts.
In addition to the 420 vehicles, as many as 350 trucks and tankers have been left stranded along the NH-37 at Assam's Jirighat.
A single convoy of security forces can escort only around 150 vehicles. Unless the number of the convoy is increased, the vehicles left stranded  at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam may remain stuck for an extended period, said sources.
While the number of convoys was increased to 2-3 per day earlier to bring in more vehicles, it was reduced to just one today.
With no sign of increasing the number of convoys, more vehicles may be left stranded at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam, said sources.
Significantly, another factor that has compounded the issue is the deteriorating condition of the Imphal-Jiribam highway at the Barak and Sibilong stretch and Irang bridge area.
Due to the bad condition of the road, vehicles are taking days to reach Imphal, added the sources.
Meanwhile, drivers left stranded at Jiribam have urged the Chief Minister, Home Minister and relevant departments to increase the number of security convoys and repair damaged sections of the highway without further delay.
The Imphal-Jiribam road remains the only available route for vehicles travelling under security escorts after the Imphal-Dimapur road was shut on May 13 following violent conflicts and a series of ambushes which killed several including the driver of a truck carrying rice.