Aizawl, Oct 25: A truck driver from Assam died in an accident near Kawnpui in Kolasib district recently, the police said on Friday. The mishap has been attributed to the appalling condition of the National Highway-306 – Mizoram’s crucial link to the rest of the country.
The deceased, identified as Dipankar Gogoi (36) of Golaghat in Assam, was driving an empty truck towards Assam. According to the police, his vehicle was stuck in a deep pothole when a cement-laden truck, driven by one Mohammad Sariful Islam (29), attempted to tow it. As Gogoi bent down to detach the towing rope, Islam’s vehicle suddenly rolled backward, hitting Gogoi on the head and killing him on the spot.
Gogoi’s body was taken to the Kawnpui Primary Health Centre for a post-mortem examination. Members of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), Kawnpui unit, arranged a coffin and assisted in dispatching the body to his hometown, where it was received by his relatives.
The tragic incident has reignited public anger over the long-neglected state of the NH-306, often described as Mizoram’s ‘lifeline’. Members of the Mizoram Truck Owners Association (MTOA), led by president B Lalzarzova, visited the Sairang-Kawnpui stretch on Friday to assess the damage. “The road is in an appalling state, unfit even for light vehicles,” Lalzarzova said.
“Now that the rains have subsided, we expect the repair works to start immediately. We will continue to monitor progress and decide on further action depending on the developments,” he added.
Truckers have for months accused the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the Mizoram Government of gross negligence for failing to maintain the highway, despite several representations and the prolonged dry spell this year.
On Thursday, two associations – the Mizoram Tipper Association (MTA), Kolasib district, and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of vehicle owners and drivers – launched a four-day blockade along the Kawnpui-Sairang stretch of the NH-306 and the Kolasib-Bairabi section of the NH-06, protesting against the alleged inaction of the authorities concerned. However, the agitation was withdrawn late on Thursday night following an agreement with the Kolasib district administration.
Under the settlement, 25 volunteers and association leaders who had been detained under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, were released unconditionally.
Traffic along the vital route had been severely affected during the blockade, with only limited vehicle movement allowed. Police sources said around 80 vehicles bound for Aizawl were cleared through the Kawnpui section, while about 200 heading towards Assam were released at Sairang-Hamrang. By Friday morning, no vehicles were reported stranded along the affected stretch.
Despite the temporary easing of the blockade, truckers have warned that fresh agitation would resume if the authorities failed to repair the road.
By
Correspondent
