Aizawl: The BJP Mizoram unit urged the Centre on Wednesday to expedite the ongoing repair work of NH-306 and NH-6. These highways serve as vital links for Mizoram and have suffered severe damage due to the monsoon, the BJP said in a statement.
A certain stretch of NH-306, also known as NH-6, serves as the primary lifeline of Mizoram, connecting the northeastern state to the rest of the country through Silchar town in Assam.
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BJP Mizoram state president Dr. K. Beichhua called on Union Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Tuesday and apprised him of the challenges faced by Mizoram due to the deplorable condition of the national highway, the statement said.
Beichhua urged the Union Minister to look into the crisis and take remedial measures at the earliest, it added.
The BJP president also submitted a proposal to construct a national highway linking Tripura with West Mizoram’s Mamit district and then to Lunglei district and Zochachhuah, Mizoram’s southernmost tip in Lawngtlai district.
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In response, Gadkari told Beichhua that he would look into the matter, the statement said.
Meanwhile, officials reported that the NHIDCL and the state PWD are currently carrying out repair work on the Sairang–Kawnpui sector of NH-306.
They said authorities release over 100 trucks carrying essential items each day, although they sometimes restrict vehicle movement on the stretch due to ongoing repairs.
On Wednesday, they added, 276 vehicles bound for Aizawl were stranded at Kawnpui and Rengtekawn near Kolasib, while 41 vehicles heading to Assam were stuck at Khamrang near Sairang.
Mizoram is currently grappling with a shortage of fuel and other essential commodities due to the dilapidated condition of NH-306/6, particularly the Sairang–Kawnpui stretch.
Although the Mizoram Oil Tanker Drivers’ Association (MOTDA) called off its agitation — which began on July 19 — on July 25, only a limited number of oil tankers and goods-laden trucks have resumed operations, as most drivers are reluctant to risk the journey on the dilapidated sections.