Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: As monsoon rains intensify across the Northeast, National Highway 37 one of Manipur’s primary supply routes linking Imphal with Silchar in Assam, has fallen into a state of severe disrepair, disrupting the movement of essential goods and raising concerns over possible shortages in the state.
The situation has become more critical amid recurring blockades along National Highway 2, which connects Imphal with Dimapur through Nagaland. With traffic increasingly diverted to NH-37, transporters say the already fragile highway is struggling to cope with the additional load.
Several stretches of the highway have been rendered nearly impassable due to deep mud, large potholes, damaged road surfaces and recurring landslides. Truck drivers report that portions of the route are submerged in knee-deep slush, forcing heavily loaded vehicles to travel under security escort and significantly increasing travel time.
Despite Manipur attaining statehood more than five decades ago, concerns persist over the lack of a dependable all-weather highway connecting the state to the rest of the country. While NH-2 remains relatively functional despite periodic disruptions, NH-37 continues to face chronic infrastructure challenges, particularly during the rainy season.
Drivers transporting goods to Imphal say a journey that would normally take between six and eight hours now stretches to nearly two days due to poor road conditions. Some of the worst-affected sections include the areas around Irang Bridge, Rengpang-Nungba, Sibilong-Barak and Kaiphundai, where damaged blacktop, deep slush and waterlogged potholes have made travel extremely difficult.
In many locations, the narrow roadway permits only single-lane movement, causing long delays as vehicles travelling in opposite directions wait for clearance. During periods of heavy rainfall, trucks often become stranded, requiring excavators and heavy machinery to pull them free.
The All Manipur Road Transport Driver and Motor Workers’ Union has expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the highway. Speaking to reporters, the union’s General Secretary, Maimom Anil Meitei, alleged that inadequate maintenance by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has contributed significantly to the current crisis.
Meitei further claimed that reduced security convoy operations have compounded the problem. According to the union, the number of escorted convoys has been reduced, limiting the volume of vehicles that can transport goods into the state each day.
With each convoy accommodating around 150 vehicles, transporters argue that increasing the number of security escorts would help accelerate the movement of essential commodities and ease supply-chain bottlenecks.
The union has urged both the NHIDCL and the Manipur government to undertake immediate repairs on the most damaged sections of NH-37 and enhance convoy operations by deploying additional security personnel. They warned that failure to act promptly could lead to shortages of fuel, cooking gas and other essential goods in the coming weeks.