Chakka bandh stalls trucks on NH-37

IMPHAL: Nearly 500 loaded trucks, heading towards Imphal from Assam, remained stranded in Manipur's Jiribam sub-division owing to the ongoing 'chakka bandh' on NH-37 (Imphal-Silchar route). The indefinite bandh, called by a Tamenglong-based transporters' body and in force since May 7, disrupted construction of the Jiribam-Tupul rail project in Tamenglong, a source said, adding that the stranded vehicles would be escorted soon.

The bandh had been called by Joint Forum for Transport Welfare, Tamenglong, which sought improvement of the 40-km Khongsang-Tamenglong road by the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF). Khongsang is located on the national highway.

Besides imposing a bandh on NH-37, the second supply route to land-locked Manipur, the forum also forced the closure of the state PWD office in Tamenglong. Bandh supporters had damaged some vehicles on the highway, especially in the Khongsang area, a few days ago.