Lowerpua (Assam) : Tripura and Assam remain cut off from the rest of the country for the third consecutive week as its lifeline, National Highway 44, which connects the state with mainland India, has been badly damaged on the side of Assam.
There has been no improvement in the road condition in adjoining southern Assam’s Karimganj district which has been washed away in torrential rains around half a month back and the repairing work is very slow. Hundreds of vehicles are still stranded in both sides.
“The national highway in Assam side is in very bad condition since last monsoon season and we have lot of trouble due to the bad condition of the road. In fact they are repairing the road but still from Assam-Churaibari gate to Khasiapunji and then Mokam to Lowerpuha this seven kilometre stress is totally bad and for which traffic movement is very slow. Incominh and outgoing vehicles are having lots of problem and they are standing for long time here. The repairing work is going on very slow for which our state and Assam are facing lot of trouble” said Jayanta Karmakar, Officer in-charge of Tripura’s bordering Churaibari police station close to Assam.
He informed that police along with other agencies is working toward helping in movement of the stranded vehicles by pushing them with bull dozers but it is of not much assist as there needs to be a permanent solution to this ongoing problem.
Over 1000 goods laden trucks and other vehicles with passengers have been stranded for the past few days after the road was damaged.
Tejo Singh a driver said, “I am from J and K and like every year I came to Tripura for my work. The previous government (in Assam) did not do anything, now a new government has come and we have high hope that they do something good for the roads. If the condition of the road remains like this who will come to Tripura? Every day the condition is deterioration here and it is a big problem for us. While going I had to stop here for three days and now already I am here for three days, there is not to eat or drink. We hope that the new government do something for improving the road condition or it will be very tough to come to Tripura and Assam. I hope the new government start the work at the earliest.”
The NH has literally turned into a paddy field as the black top has been washed away in torrential rain and which has totally ceased movement of vehicle entering and moving out of Tripura.
The 630-km-long NH-44 is the only one that links Tripura by road with the rest of India via Shillong and Guwahati.
The Tripura government sought Assam and union government’s help to urgently repair the road, described as the life line of Tripura.
If the damaged road was not renovated on urgent basis, the situation would be further worsened and the crisis of essential commodities would be further aggravated. (ANI)