Imphal: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has expanded its security arrangements for the movement of essential supplies along the Jiribam-Imphal route, deploying additional escorts for 424 loaded trucks and fuel tankers amid a severe transport crisis.
The convoy, travelling from Jiribam to Imphal along NH-37, comprises 400 trucks carrying essential commodities and 24 fuel tankers. The CRPF has deployed dual security escorts for the fleet, exceeding the usual limit of around 150 vehicles managed under a single convoy.
The move comes after 381 loaded vehicles that had earlier left Jiribam on August 11 reached Imphal safely on Thursday evening. However, the movement of vehicles in the opposite direction has faced delays, with a separate security escort assigned to 271 empty trucks yet to reach Jiribam within the expected timeframe.
The expanded security deployment follows mounting pressure from transporters and drivers over the prolonged disruption along the route. The Transporters’ and Drivers’ Council (TDC) had issued an ultimatum to the state government after the death of a stranded driver in Jiribam.
The council had warned that if authorities failed to clear the backlog of stranded vehicles, transporters would begin moving the trucks in batches of 500, with or without official security escorts.
TDC president Hijam Ranjit welcomed the expanded security arrangements but said the transport crisis could not be resolved through escorts alone. He urged the state government to direct the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to undertake urgent repairs on damaged stretches of NH-37.
Ranjit said large potholes and severely damaged sections of the highway continue to slow down vehicle movement despite the enhanced security arrangements. He stressed that repairing the vulnerable stretches is essential to reduce travel time and restore the regular movement of essential supplies to Imphal.