Ban on NH 39 a boon for Senapati

IMPHAL, Jul 16(NPN):
In spite of decision taken by the Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) not to ply trucks and interstate buses on Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-39, many trucks continued to take the route in procuring goods from Dimapur and other places. Number of trucks entering into the state on this route is also increasing day by day in the last few days.
According to police reports, 999 trucks loaded with various items of goods had entered into the state from Nagaland in the last fortnight till today. As recorded at the Mao police check post, 74 loaded trucks crossed Mao gate on July 1, 90 on July 2, 74 on July 3, 25 on July 5, 30 on July 6, 103 on July 7, 47 on July 8, 75 on July 9, 104 on July 10, 97 on July 11, 85 on July 12 and 100 on July 16 (Friday).
Ban on the freight trucks and inaccessible road condition of Imphal- Jiribam section of the NH-53 made markets at Senapati district headquarters and Kangpokpi as important supply points of essential commodities and petroleum products in the state.
Commercial vehicles like mini tata, 307 trucks and other four-wheeler light vehicles thronged Kangpokpi and Senapati bazar Friday to collect essential commodities with the end of the 72-hour chakka bandh imposed by ANSAM yesterday evening at 6 pm.
No truck crossed Mao gate from Nagaland side on this route during the last three days owing to the chakka bandh imposed by the ANSAM in Naga inhabitant areas of the state.
Most of the trucks entering the state on NH-39 did not proceeded upto Imphal but offloaded at Senapati and Kangpokpi as per their conveniences, sources said adding from their businessmen and traders collected the goods by mini tatas and 407 DI trucks to reach Imphal.
In the same manners vehicle fuel, Petrol and diesel, and also fertilizers were also procured by small time traders from these two market places and sold at Imphal and other places at higher prices.
Traders bought petrol and diesel at barrels at the rate of Rs 55 to 60 a liter from Senapati and Kangpokpi and distributed to the grey marketers at the rate ranging from Rs 70 to 75 and sold at Rs 90 to 100 to the customers.
Likewise, rice, fertilizers and other highly demand commodities are procured from these two markets places to sell at higher prices in Imphal and other places of the state.
On the other hand, during the same period, only 342 goods freight trucks had arrived Imphal on the Imphal-Jiribam section of the NH-39. As recorded in the police entry post at New Keithelmanbi at hill and valley jurisdiction of the highway, 50 loaded trucks crossed the gate on July 1, 100 on July 2, 50 on July 3 and after a gap of around two weeks, 142 loaded trucks arrived at Imphal today.
Less number of trucks arrived at Imphal on this route as the road was closed for repairing during the period and with near completion of the repairing works carried out by the PWD, a total of 142 trucks stranded at various places on the highway reached Imphal today, reports said.
It is pertinent to mention here that after the state PWD minister, K Ranjit offered apology to the people of the state after he failed to keep his promise to complete the repairing works of the NH-53 through the members of the state Assembly in the ongoing Assembly session, state consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister, Y Erabot also admitted government failure to replenish stocks of the rice and other PDS items and petroleum products in the state.
While admitting the failure of dealing with the situation, he said grey marketers are sending free hands as for the time being it will not be possible to supply enough stocks to the retail outlets.
Coinciding with the repairing works and three day chakka bandh of ANSAM, no truck entered on this route too in the last two days.
The uncertainty situations in both the main national highways in the state, the two marketing places of Senapati district of Manipur have been turned into important supply points of essential commodities to other parts of the state, though it was at higher prices.
Today, after three days of suspension of plying of vehicles on this section of the NH-39 due to 72-hour chakka bandh imposed by the ANSAM, medium and four-wheeler light vehicles thronged the two market places at Kangpokpi and Senapati to procured essential commodities and vehicle fuel.