Escorted convoy limited to 100 trucks
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 06 2017:
The number of trucks travelling in a convoy on the Imphal-Jiribam highway with CRPF escorts has been limited to 100 .
Convoys of LPG bullet tankers, oil tankers and FCI trucks which plied on Imphal-Dimapur highway shifted their route to Imphal-Jiribam as the condition of the former became highly dilapidated .
After Imphal-Dimapur was severely damaged/cut off at several places due to landslides and sinking of road surface, LPG bullet tankers, oil tankers and FCI trucks which used to travel along the highway with CRPF escorts abandoned it since July 7, informed a source .
There was no limit to the number of trucks and tankers moving in convoys with CRPF escorts when they were travelling on Imphal-Dimapur highway .
Barak Bridge is one of the key bridges of Imphal-Jiribam highway.
However, due to shaky condition, loaded trucks/tankers coming from the direction of Jiribam cross it one by one .
A truck/tanker usually takes 1.30 minute in crossing the bridge which implies that it takes over two hours for 100 trucks to cross the bridge .
Convoys of oil tankers, LPG bullets and FCI trucks usually leave Jiribam at 4 in the morning with a view to reach Imphal by 5 pm.
It is this target of reaching Imphal by 5 pm that the number of trucks travelling in a convoy has been limited to 100, informed the source .
However, this convoy of 100 trucks do not move every day.
These convoys move only on alternate days and it may have serious implications on the stocks of fuel, LPG and FCI rice .
The latest incident of sinking of road surface along Imphal-Dimapur highway took place on August 4 near Viswema, Nagaland.
Even though the sunk portion has been repaired, there is no question of oil tankers, FCI trucks and LPG bullet tankers moving along Imphal-Dimapur highway at the moment, added the source.