Aizawl: The perilous state of a vital stretch along National Highway-306, the primary conduit linking Mizoram with Assam, has triggered widespread alarm among residents. This week, a delegation representing four prominent Mizo organisations converged with Virendra Kumar Jakhar, the executive director of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), to press for immediate overhaul and restoration of the critical artery.
A significant section of this highway, also known as NH-6, serves as the sole entry point for all essential supplies reaching Mizoram from other states. The crumbling infrastructure has not only disrupted daily life but also posed serious safety risks for commuters.
The Thursday meeting saw functionaries from the Mizoram Transformation Movement (MTM), Centre for Environment and Social Justice (CESJ), Mizoram First (MF), and the Citizens Alliance for Truth and Social Justice (CATAJ) collectively voice their grievances to Jakhar.
Vanramchhuangi, working chairman of CESJ, articulated the delegation’s profound distress over the hazardous conditions of the Sairang-Kawnpui sector. She highlighted how this particular stretch has become a hotbed for frequent accidents and debilitating traffic snarls, severely impeding movement and normal life across the northeastern state.
According to Vanramchhuangi, Jakhar acknowledged the gravity of the situation and reassured the delegation by outlining current and prospective remedial actions. He also clarified that the Khamrang-Kawnpui and Bilkhawthlir-Kolasib sectors, part of the larger Sairang-Vairengte route, are presently under the purview of the Mizoram PWD and are in the process of being handed over to the NHIDCL.
A significant stumbling block, as per Jakhar, has been the delay in tree felling, a prerequisite for commencing construction work. He explained that while the long-awaited forest clearance has finally been secured, the responsibility for felling trees rests with the state forest department, and the NHIDCL is awaiting their necessary action. The Sairang-Kawnpui sector has been particularly devastated by recent rains, rendering it impassable for heavy vehicles and trucks.
Just recently, a local trucker association took matters into their own hands, undertaking repairs on the Sairang-Kawnpui stretch. This interim measure was crucial in preventing a complete halt of oil tankers and trucks laden with essential commodities from traversing that segment of the highway.
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