The All Manipur Road Transport and Motor Workers Union has warned of an indefinite strike from July 1 if urgent repairs are not carried out on National Highway-37 by June 30. The warning comes amid worsening road conditions that have left more than 1,000 goods and fuel vehicles stranded between Assam and Manipur’s Jiribam district.
Following the closure of NH-2 in mid-May, NH-37, which connects Imphal to Assam’s Silchar, has become the only operational lifeline for the state. However, continuous rainfall and landslides have triggered severe mudslides, disrupting the movement of essential supplies including LPG and fuel tankers.
The Drivers’ Union has blamed both the state government and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for the poor condition of the highway, alleging that maintenance has remained inadequate for decades.
Union General Secretary Maimom Anil Meitei stated that the current movement of around 150 security-escorted vehicles per day is insufficient to meet the state’s demand, resulting in shortages and rising prices of essential commodities.
The union has also demanded the formation of a monitoring committee to oversee NHIDCL’s repair and maintenance work. It has warned that if no concrete steps are taken by the deadline, all drivers, including those under security escort, will cease operations from July 1, potentially worsening the state’s ongoing supply crisis.
