More than 1,000 vehicles stuck along NH-37, drivers warn of stir from July 1

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 26: Even as more than 1,000 incoming vehicles are stuck at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam, All Manipur Road Transport and Motor Workers Union (Drivers' Union) has strongly cautioned the Government to repair the National Highway-37 on a war footing by June 30.
The repair work, if not taken up by June 30, all drivers including those driving escort vehicles  may be forced to launch a "hands-off-steering wheel" stir from July 1, said Maimom Anil Meitei, general secretary, All Manipur Road Transport and Motor Workers Union (Drivers' Union).
The NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) remains the only operational highway at present following the closure of the NH-2 (Imphal- Dimapur) by different civil groups in mid May. The drivers' stir, if launched, would cripple the transport of all goods including fuel and gas into the State.
Notably, the Drivers' Union had flagged the poor condition of NH-37 several times over the month urging the Government and related authorities including the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to repair it.
The drivers plying the road under security escort had also flagged that several stretches of the highway were in need of urgent repair.
Speaking to reporters, Maimom Anil said the drivers have reached a point where they can no longer operate vehicles.
Anil said the drivers' repeated appeals to the Government and the related authorities to repair the road have fallen on deaf ears.
While the NHIDCL has failed in the maintenance of the road, the State Government has shown no interest at all to intervene, Anil said.
The State Government seems to be lacking the will and interest to improve the highway and resolve the transport and inflation crises the State is currently facing, Anil said.
No action whatsoever has been taken up by the Government to repair the road, he added.
Anil said a mere 150 vehicles bringing in goods and fuel under security escort can't meet the demand of the people of the State.
About 150 vehicles including trucks and tankers left Jiribam for Imphal today. However, one of the LPG tankers got stuck in deep mud near Oinamlong for hours, halting the movement of all other vehicles, he said.
"After the tanker was pulled out of the mud and freed, one truck again got stuck between Nungba and Kambiron. The vehicle is still stuck on the road at the moment, halting the movement of all the other vehicles," he said, painting a vivid picture of the condition of the highway.
Anil said both the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and the Government are to be blamed for the present pathetic condition of the highway. Anil said the NHIDCL took over the maintenance of the road from the BRO in 2014.  Even though the NHIDCL is engaging different firms and agencies for the development of the highway, there have been no significant changes. The condition of the road has not changed much since it was made a highway in 1971, Anil asserted.
If the State Government is truly interested in improving the highway, then it should constitute a monitoring committee to look over the works of the NHIDCL and firms working under it, Anil said.
The Government and the authorities concerned should repair the NH-37 by June 30 if they don't want the drivers to launch the stir. What the drivers are demanding is for the benefit of the people and the State. While 319 loaded vehicles reached Imphal, 332 empty tankers and trucks left Imphal today.