Road communication through NH 44 restored with Tripura

Agartala, June 20 (UNI) Traffic resumed on the NH-44 connecting Tripura with the rest of the country after a gap of eight days.

Though the light vehicles have started plying on the NH since yesterday, the heavy vehicles, including inter-state buses and trucks, started plying from today after the Border Roads Tasks Force (BRTF) jawans had succeeded in clearing the debris caused due to heavy landslide at Sonarpur in Meghalaya on NH 44.

Hundreds of trucks with essential commodities started their journey from Sonarpur to the state today.

The state remained cut-off for almost six days by road due to the washing out of a bridge at Sonarpur in Meghalaya and landslides at 20 places on the NH in Assam and Meghalaya.

The normal rail traffic also resumed with the arrival of a goods train at the Dharmanagar railway station. Pessenger trains will also start operating from Wednesday next, according to a highly placed source in the North Eastern Frontier Railway.

Inter-state buses have also started plying since yesterday evening.

With the resumption of vehicular movement on the NH-44, the shortage of essential commodities in the state capital is expected to be overcome. The petrol crisis in the state has also eased out considerably. But long queues were seen in the petrol pumps today as the citizens are still wary of the situation.

Small vendors are seen selling petrol at a high price. The black-marketing of the essential commodities, including petrol is being check.

The state government had earlier directed temporary rationing of petroleum products and directed the police and food department officials to keep a strict vigil against any black marketing and hoarding of the essential commodities.

More then 400 trucks were stranded at different points in the NH in Assam and Meghalaya due to the damage of a Bailey bridge at Sonarpur in Meghalaya caused by heavy landslide.

UNI PD BA SY BD1321