More than 800 goods trucks and fuel tankers are stranded in Manipur and neighbouring Assam owing to a shortage of security escorts and landslides that have disrupted traffic along National Highway 37, the principal supply route into the state.
Sources said around 420 trucks and tankers are waiting at Jiribam in Manipur for security escorts, while another 350 vehicles are stranded at Jirighat in Assam, creating a substantial backlog of essential supplies bound for Imphal and other parts of the state.
The situation has worsened over the past two days as only one security convoy has been provided despite earlier efforts to increase the number of convoys to clear accumulated vehicles. Each convoy can escort roughly 150 vehicles, significantly slowing the movement of fuel and goods into Manipur.
Drivers blamed the delays on limited deployment of security personnel. At present, nine companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are engaged in escort duties along the route. Transporters and drivers have appealed to authorities to augment security deployment and allow at least two or three convoys daily to ease congestion.
Compounding the problem, recent landslides have damaged several stretches of NH-37, particularly between Barak and Sibilong and near the Irang bridge area. The damage has reduced traffic movement and increased travel time, with some vehicles taking several days to complete the journey to Imphal.
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The Imphal-Jiribam route currently remains the only road available for vehicles travelling under security escort. The alternative Imphal-Dimapur highway has remained disrupted for weeks following incidents of violence and ambushes, making NH-37 the state's crucial supply lifeline.
Drivers and transport operators have urged the Manipur government and security agencies to expedite repairs on damaged portions of the highway and increase the frequency of escorted convoys to prevent further delays in the transportation of essential commodities.
Earlier this week, a convoy of 174 vehicles, including fuel tankers and goods carriers, travelled from Jiribam to Imphal under security escort. The convoy comprised 20 petrol tankers, 19 diesel tankers, 11 multi-compartment fuel tankers, four aviation turbine fuel tankers, 25 LPG tankers, two SK Oil trucks and 103 goods carriers carrying essential supplies into the state.
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