Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 06 2009:
Plying of good laden vehicles stopped Sunday along the Imphal-Mao section of the NH-39 with the commencement of the five day economic blockade imposed by the Senapati District Students Association (SDSA) on this highway, the live-line of people of Manipur.
Nearly 100 goods laden trucks were reportedly stranded beyond the Mao gate on the Nagaland side.
Only seven trucks stranded at Mao, according police report received here.
The economic blockade, commenced from last midnight, was imposed by the students' body demanding immediate repairing of the deteriorated highway most importantly among others.
All Manipur Road Transports Drivers' and Owners Welfare Association is also extended support to the economic blockade lamenting the highway is not a like a road.
Due to the bad conditions of the road, it becomes jaw of death for many drivers and truckers, they added.
Conditions of the stretch of the NH-39 from Maram Centre to Senapati Bridge are the most dangerous stretch.
This does not mean that conditions of other portion are good as being a highway, a driver of a truck ferrying rice and other grocery items from Dimapur and Guwahati said.
Maintenances works of the stretch of the highway from Maram Centre to Imphal which is about 75 km is handling by the state PWD department and condition of most part of the stretch is under woeful state.
Lack of quality control and non-maintenance of the drainage system and lack of awareness to the people residing on the sides of the highway at the time taking out earth from the hill side were behind the worsening condition of the portion, truckers observed.
Due to non-clearance and non-maintenance of the drainage on the hill side of the stretch, water from the hilltop flow above the road which makes quick damage of the blacktop which also lacks quality control, drivers observed.