Imphal: Continuous rainfall over the past two days has triggered multiple landslides along National Highway-37 in Manipur, bringing traffic on the Imphal-Silchar route to a complete halt and leaving more than 500 vehicles stranded on Monday.
The highway, which connects Imphal with Silchar via Jiribam, has remained closed for the second consecutive day after heavy rain caused landslides and mudslides in Noney and Tamenglong districts.
Officials said the worst-hit stretch lies between Awangkhul Part-I and Awangkhul Part-II, where large amounts of debris have buried the roadway, making it impassable. Hundreds of goods trucks, fuel tankers and passenger vehicles remain stranded on both sides of the affected area.
Authorities have suspended security escorts on the highway and urged commuters and transport operators to avoid travelling on the route until restoration work is completed and weather conditions improve.
The disruption has further aggravated Manipur’s transport and supply situation, with the Imphal-Dimapur highway, another key supply route, already affected by an indefinite blockade.
Meanwhile, road restoration and debris clearance operations are underway. Officials from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), security agencies and road construction firm ABCI have inspected the damaged sections and deployed excavators and dumper trucks to clear the debris.
Officials said efforts are being made to restore traffic at the earliest, but continuous rainfall has slowed the operation. Authorities are also keeping a close watch on vulnerable hill slopes due to the risk of fresh landslides, while ensuring the safety of personnel engaged in the restoration work and stranded travellers.