Imphal: Disruptions on Manipur’s two key national highways have triggered fears of a fresh supply crisis, with around 500 goods vehicles stranded on National Highway-37 and several truck drivers stuck on National Highway-2 amid repair delays and prolonged blockades.
The situation on NH-37, which connects Imphal with Silchar, has worsened after the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) reportedly suspended repair work along the Noney-Nungba stretch shortly after restoration activities began.
Transporters and Drivers’ Council (TDC) president Hijam Ranjit alleged that the agency’s decision contradicted earlier commitments made before Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand to restore the damaged highway without delay.
The latest disruption follows a landslide at Oinamlong, where authorities managed to clear only a single lane. Transporters said debris and blocked drainage continue to restrict traffic flow, making two-way movement difficult and slowing the transport of essential goods.
The absence of a scheduled security convoy for empty trucks travelling to Jiribam on Mondays has added to the congestion. Officials, however, are expected to facilitate the movement of nearly 450 loaded trucks and fuel tankers from Jiribam to Imphal through multiple escorted convoys.
Transport associations have cautioned that unless restoration work resumes on a priority basis, forecast rainfall could worsen road conditions and bring traffic to a complete halt.
At the same time, National Highway-2, the Imphal-Dimapur route, remains affected by overlapping protest blockades, leaving several out-of-state truck drivers stranded with no safe passage.
The drivers are caught between the Namduilong-Kanglatongbi stretch, where a Naga economic blockade has continued for over 60 days, and the Gamgiphai buffer zone, where a Kuki group is enforcing a round-the-clock blockade demanding the reopening of the highway.
With freight movement disrupted on both major routes into the state, transporters have expressed concern over the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities. They have urged the Manipur government to take immediate measures to restore highway connectivity, complete pending repairs, and ensure the safe movement of commercial vehicles.