IMPHAL, September 9: Loaded oil tankers will enter the State through the Imphal-Dimapur highway tomorrow to bring some respite to the scarcity of fuel in the State, especially petrol, since both highways feeding the State had remained blocked for some time.
Transportation of essential commodities including fuel into the State had stopped after a landslide at Phesama near Kohima Town in Nagaland blocked the Imphal-Dimapur highway since August 18, while the second lifeline of the State Imphal-Jiribam remained blocked due to a damage of the Barak Bridge since August 24.
Speaking to media persons today at their Sangakpham office, the All Manipur Petroleum Tankers`™ and Drivers`™ Union president Y Bhupenchandra said the Border Road Organisation has issued an official confirmation regarding completion of repairing work of the highway stretch affected by the landslide at Phesama and loaded tankers will start plying normally along the Imphal-Dimapur highway from tomorrow.
Empty oil tankers will also leave Imphal this evening for which escorts have been arranged he added.
He said since August 18, no loaded trucks were able to pass through the route due to the massive landslide at Phesama in Nagaland.
Simultaneously, connectivity along the the Imphal-Jiribam Highway was also blocked due to a damage of the Barak Bridge since August 24 he said.
This had led to a scarcity of petrol and diesel in the State he said.
He said some oil tankers had also left Imphal today along the NH 37 with escorts and will be returning in another three or four days.
At the same time, 42 loaded oil tankers are at the moment stranded at Jiribam while another 188 loaded tankers are stranded along the Dimapur route he added.
He further appealed to the CSOs of both the hills and the valley against imposing any kind of restriction to the tankers.
