Mizoram CM Vows Action as Road Crisis Sparks Oil Shortage and Blockade

AIZAWL: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma chaired a very important meeting with the leaders of the Mizoram Commercial Vehicle Union, which discussed the alarming state of the region's roads. During the meeting, it was strongly brought to his notice that the transportation sector of the state has been grappling with an onslaught of deteriorating infrastructure, particularly during the harsh weather conditions prevailing over the past couple of months.

He recognized this to be one among the many challenges that operators of commercial vehicles face and appealed to the union to see the larger picture-the incessant rains that have ravaged large parts of India, Mizoram included, with all the consequent landslides, flooding, and loss of precious lives. Its heavy downpours did not just slow down the repair but also destroyed further the already fragile structure.

During the consultation, the Chief Minister revealed the state's response saying that a lot of resources have so far been undertaken to clear slides and re-establish fractured parts of connection. Rains continue to disturb and delay repairing operations, especially on major routes like National Highway 06 (NH-06).

To crack down on what might be seen as an increasingly unfriendly crisis, Chief Minister Lalduhoma declares that he would himself visit the part on NH-06 at Kawnpui-Khamrang, which has seriously suffered damage. This road has been a lifeline for Mizoram because, besides providing a direct link between the main areas of the state, it also facilitates the transportation of essential supplies, which include fuel. Currently, the road is under maintenance with Satguru, a private company, whose contract was set up until 2026. The state government, disappointed with the pathetic performance of the company, has decided to pre-terminate the agreement and transferred the remaining balance to the Mizoram Public Works Department (PWD) for the speedy execution of the repair work.

So far, the collapse of state roads has brought severe after effects like the oil shortage that has reached Aizawl and surrounding areas. Oil tankers have been left stranded on the Kawnpui-Khamrang stretch, with fuel never reaching their destination. It is going to arouse anger and follow up on planned road blockade by the Mizoram Oil Tanker Drivers' Association (MOTDA) and the Petroleum Entrepreneurs and Transporters' Union of Mizoram. The blockade begins on Tuesday in protest to the lack of initiative from the government regarding the bad condition of NH-06.

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