Manipur remains partially cut off from the rest of the country for the second day on Tuesday as the wobbly bridges along NH 37 that links Manipur to other parts of the country remain unsafe for the loaded trucks. The Makru bridge was damaged on Monday midnight.
The landlocked State solely depends on Assam and other States for all items in general, and consumer goods in particular. It has triggered a price hike in Manipur from Tuesday onwards.
A spokesman of construction agencies reportedly told some reporters who reached the damaged bridges that overloaded trucks were responsible for the breakdown of the bridges. However, it has been denied by drivers. The All Manipur Transporter, Drivers and Motor Workers’ Union said that officials deployed along the NH 37 enforced the permitted weights and no truck was allowed to carry goods more than the approved weights.
In bad shape
The drivers said the Makru, the Barak and the Irung bridges have been in bad shape for decades. An activist said that the governments of different parties were busy passing the buck on the company undertaking construction and repairs of roads and bridges.
Traffic is resumed always after a quick fix of repair work. However the highway becomes impassable again soon. The stranded drivers say the construction work of the RCC bridge are “progressing in a snail’s pace”.
Government officials admit that the prices of consumer goods are jacked up whenever two national highways are blocked by landslips and damage to some of the hanging and suspension bridges are reported. Besides agitating sections of people impose national highway blockades to draw the attention of the government to their issues.
Police said a number of goods-laden trucks, buses and private cars were stranded along the NH 37.
State government sources said hectic repairing works on the damaged bridges were on and that the traffic would resume shortly.
Several activists say that at this time while the people are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the price hike on the pretext of the damaged bridges along the NH 37 comes as the additional burden.
