24 held for blocking Mizoram’s lifeline highway in protest over poor road conditions

Twenty-four people were detained on October 23 for allegedly blocking a vital highway in Mizoram to protest its deteriorating condition, officials said. 

The agitation was organised by the Mizoram Tipper Association’s (MTA) Kolasib unit and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of drivers and commercial vehicle owners, which had called a four-day strike on NH-306/06, the state’s main supply route.

Kolasib Superintendent of Police David H. Lalthangliana said that despite the protest, vehicular movement remained largely unaffected due to adequate police deployment. “Twenty-four individuals, including MTA and JAC leaders, were taken into custody for violating prohibitory orders,” he added. No major law-and-order situation was reported during the protest, which began around 7 a.m.

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Earlier, Home Minister K. Sapdana had warned truckers and commercial vehicle operators of legal consequences if they proceeded with the blockade. He emphasised that obstructing a national highway is a punishable offence under the National Highway Act and Sections 126 and 285 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The government maintained that both the Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) are already working to restore the highway, and repairs are expected to be completed by November, PWD Minister Vanlalthlane stated.

The NH-306, parts of which are designated as NH-06, was repaired earlier in July and August. However, the road’s condition has once again worsened, prompting widespread frustration among transporters. The highway serves as Mizoram’s primary lifeline, connecting the state to the rest of India and facilitating the transport of all essential commodities.