Fuel crisis in Mizoram as truckers repair NH-306, blocking vital supplies for sixth day

A portion of National Highway 306/06, Mizoram’s critical supply route to Assam, has been shut for six consecutive days, triggering a fuel shortage in the state capital and affecting the movement of essential commodities.

The disruption is due to repair works being undertaken by truckers from the Mizoram Tipper Association (MTA) under the Kolasib headquarters, who began repairing the Sairang-Kawnpui sector of the highway on June 26. The action, while aimed at improving the treacherous road condition, has also prevented oil tankers and trucks carrying fuel and goods from reaching Aizawl and other parts of the state.

NH-306, which partially overlaps with NH-6, is the lifeline of Mizoram, serving as the sole corridor for supplies entering the state from Assam. The shutdown has led to acute petrol and diesel shortages in Aizawl, with most fuel stations running dry on Tuesday. A few stations are operating using coupon systems issued by the state government to ration supplies.

State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Director Saizikpuii confirmed that some LPG and fuel tankers resumed movement on Tuesday following intense appeals to the MTA. She expressed hope that the situation would normalise in the coming days, adding that aside from fuel, no major shortage of other essential goods has been reported yet.

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Meanwhile, four civil society organisations — Mizoram Transformation Movement, Centre for Environment and Social Justice, Mizoram First, and Citizen Alliance for Truth and Justice — have jointly appealed to the state government to urgently repair the highway, warning that people might resort to community-driven road repairs if government inaction continues.

“The highway is in a deplorable state and has become extremely risky for commodity-laden trucks,” the organisations stated, stressing the urgency of immediate intervention.

Responding to public pressure, PWD Minister Vanlalhlana clarified that the Khamrang-Kawnpui sector is no longer under the state’s jurisdiction. It was handed over to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in 2020.

Despite this, the state government spent ₹200 crore in 2024-25, and an additional ₹111.74 crore in the current fiscal to patch up damaged sections due to NHIDCL’s alleged failure to act in time. The minister also noted that the state no longer receives MoRTH funds for highway repairs.

As Mizoram reels under this infrastructure crisis, calls are growing louder for MoRTH and NHIDCL to step in and accelerate restoration work, before the disruption severely impacts daily life and the state's economy.