Tripura urges Centre, Assam for immediate repair of National Highway 8

AGARTALA: Tripura PWD minister Badal Chowdhury today urged the Centre and the Assam government for immediate repair of a portion of the National Highway 8 in Karimganj district of Assam as thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities for Tripura are stranded there.

A long stretch of the Assam-Agartala ( NH 8) at Lowerpoa in Karimganj district of Assam is badly damaged since a year and about 10-15 km area is unfit for movement of vehicles for three months, Chowdhury said.

As a result, thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities for Tripura are stranded, he told reporters.

"If such condition continues for a few days more, the state would face acute crisis of essential commodities and fuel. I have urged the Central government to take urgent steps to immediately repair the national highway and create a situation for bringing essential commodities through neighbouring Bangladesh," Chowdhury said.

He said, about 450 trucks could have entered Tripura on Saturday through an alternative road, but the condition of that road too is very bad.

Earlier in several occasions, commodities were transported to the state from Kolkata port by using the water ways of Bangladesh through the Ashuganj river port on Meghna, about 50 km from here.

He said about two months ago, Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy himself visited the area and informed the matter to the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar also spoke to Gadkari but the situation did not improve.

Chowdhury said he had written to the Central government and Tripura Chief Secretary also spoke to the Chief Secretary of Assam and officials of the Union government, but nothing was done.