Manipur, which has barely emerged from a two-month long twin highway blockade, is bracing to meet another 48-hour “bandh” call on National Highway 53 from midnight of July 9 called by a Naga students’ organisation.
The All Zeliangrong Students’ Organisation (AZSO) said in a statement that they would impose the “bandh” in protest against Manipur government’s recent decision to take over the highway development work from Border Road Organisation (BRO).
Official sources said the Manipur cabinet had decided some days ago to hand over the development and improvement of the road to State public works department after taking it over from BRO.
The AZSO statement said BRO should handle the development work of the NH 53 and added that they called the bandh to protest against the state government’s decision.
Several civil organisations in statements said that the bandh would inconvenience the people as essential commodities were being transported through this highway.
Transporters and drivers’ council of Manipur had decided not to use national highway 39 (Imphal-Dimapur) road because of extortion by Naga militants and civil organisations based in Nagaland.
Official sources said people of Manipur had suffered extreme inconvenience because of the two-month old blockade imposed by some Naga organisations on NH 39 and NH 53 which ended barely two weeks ago. They appealed to the AZSO to call off the bandh.
Whenever blockade or bandh was imposed on the national highways, people of both hill and valley districts suffered a lot, sources said adding that civil organisations or any other groups should understand this.
