Imphal, July 24 2010: Around 1000 trucks, out of which nearly 700 loaded trucks, are said to have been stranded on National Highway 53 on both sides of the Barak river for over a week without being able to cross the bridge.

Reports received from amongst the stranded trucks said that nearly 2500 to 3000 drivers, handymen and passengers have been having a hard time to keep hunger and mosquitos away on the Imphal-Jiribam road for the past seven to eight days.

The reports said, many of the stranded people have fallen sick.

Some people from Jiribam were bringing medicines for the sick.

The stranded people have to trudge nearly 22 kms upto Nungba from Sibilong for purchasing rice and other essential commodities for survival and return to the spot where their vehicles are parked.

Over 700 loaded trucks which left Jiribam on July 16 and the following days for Imphal are still stranded on the highway starting from Sibilong, Nung Dalan, Shantipur Khunou, Keimai, Oinamlong, New Keiphundai to Keiphundai near the Barak river on the Jiribam side.

The trucks can not cross the bridge as another 300 or more empty trucks coming from Imphal have been stranded on the other side of the river in a long line.

The reports further said that there is no space for the loaded trucks which are on their way back to Imphal and the empty trucks which are heading towards Jiribam to overtake each other.

Besides, there are stretches on the highway affected by mudslide, and there is no organised manner in which the vehicles from both sides are made to cross.

Any vehicle tries to cross first without bothering for the vehicles coming from the opposite direction thus creating a complete jam.

There is no authority to control and guide the vehicles on either of the Barak bridge, the reports said.

Considering the jam on the highway, police have stopped loaded trucks from Jiribam to proceed towards the highway a few days back.

However, some loaded trucks were still leaving Jiribam and proceeding toward Imphal.

They would have no other option but to join the queue of the stranded loaded trucks, reports from Jiribam added.

Meanwhile, IRB escorts reportedly reached the Barak area today and have started making way for the loaded trucks to pass first as they had been stranded for over a week.

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