Mizoram's Lifeline at Risk: NH-306 Blockade Looms Amid Repair Debates

The Mizoram government has called on truckers and commercial vehicle owners to cancel their planned blockade of NH-306, a critical state thoroughfare. The proposed four-day protest was organized by the Kolasib unit of the Mizoram Tipper Association (MTA) and a joint committee of drivers and vehicle owners in response to the deteriorated state of the highway and sluggish repair efforts.

Home Minister K Sapdanga contested the need for such action, asserting that the highway is undergoing repairs by the state's Public Works Department and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), with plans to expedite work before the winter season hinders progress.

The blockade, slated for specific highway stretches connecting Mizoram's capital, Aizawl, with the rest of the country through Assam, could face crackdown under legal provisions, according to Sapdanga. Meanwhile, state police presence is set to increase in Kolasib to ensure law and order amid the tensions.