IMPHAL, August 20: Several of the 750 Imphal-bound loaded trucks which had remained stranded along the National Highway 37 after leaving Jiribam on August 16 for Imphal have reached Imphal today.
Meanwhile, following a request from the Border Road Organisation, the state DGP has closed the highway for heavy vehicles for three days from August 21 to 23.
According to reports received from the All Manipur Road Transport Drivers’ and Motor Workers’ Union, the loaded trucks which have reached Imphal were stranded due to bad condition of the road at Nung Dalan, Kambiron and Barak Bridge along the highway.
As of now, most of the loaded trucks which were stranded have reached Imphal now and only two/three trucks could have remained stranded due to mechanical failure.
Moreover, further steps would be taken up for freight trucks to ply along the highway and large number of empty trucks with security escort are also all set to leave for Jiribam within the next few days, the report said.
It may be mentioned that the loaded trucks which had left Jiribam for Imphal on August 16 included 140 rice loaded trucks, 140 wheat loaded trucks, 307 cement loaded trucks, 23 medicine loaded trucks, one petrol loaded trucks, four diesel loaded trucks, two LPG Bullet and other 248 loaded trucks.
The trucks were escorted by security personnel led by Assistant Commandent 7th Bn Manipur Rifles Th Rajendra Singh.
Meanwhile, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) has remained camped at two different parts along the Imphal-Jiribam highway restricting vehicles along the highway for the past three days so as to repair the worn out portion of the road.
According to reports received by IFP, officials of the BRO had requested the Director General of Police (DGP), Manipur to not allow passage of both loaded and empty heavy vehicles along the highway for three days.
The BRO had expressed that the condition along most portions of the highway are in deplorable conditions which has further aggravated owing to the incessant heavy downpour in the last few months.
As of now, there is an eminent need to repair the deteriorating condition of the road portions at the earliest, said the source.
Moreover, with the uninterrupted movement of loaded and empty heavy vehicles along the highway, the BRO has been facing much difficulty in repairing the roads and the road stretch already repaired has also been reduced useless.
Taking into account the deteriorating condition of the highway, the BRO had requested to close the traffic to heavy vehicles along the highway for some days so as to enable its officials to repair the highway.
The same request of the BRO was also made earlier. But, since there has been scarcity of essential commodities in the State, large numbers of trucks have been plying along the highway despite the deplorable condition of the highway, the reports stated.
Following the request made by the BRO and considering the deplorable condition of the highway, the DGP of the State through Manipur Police Headquarter (PHQ) has officially advised the Superintendent of Police Tamenglong, Addl SP Jiribam and all police stations stationed along the highway to restrict movement of heavy vehicles.
As per the order of the DGP, the movement of heavy vehicles would remain closed along the highway for three days ie from August 21 to August 23.
However, light vehicles for emergency services could ply along the highway, it added.