CHURAIBARI / AGARTALA , July 4 (TIWN): Tripura Chief Minister so far washed off his hands by conducting meetings in State Secretariat with PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury and officials but CM yet to initiate emergency meeting with Assam CM Sonowal and Central Authorities to restore Tripura's lifeline NH-44 on war footing. Tripura reeling under heavy fuel crisis as Petrol selling at Rs 250 to 300 per liter in black market, scarcity of essential commodoities pushing common mens life into peril. Since 20 days, NH-44 repair work began but yet to make any substantial progress for vehicular movements.National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) already floated tenders for additional Rs 28 crores repair work but so far no visible progress. Over 2 weeks, hapless drivers of thousands of stranded trucks are suffering from lack of water and food. Due to lack of sensitivity of Assam and Tripura Govt Ministers, Officials, no one knows when NH-44 will be restored or when Tripura's fuel to food crisis will come to an end.

TIWN Dharmanagar correspondent while talking to stranded drivers found that for past  fifteen days ofr more drivers wiht loaded items from Hyderabad, Chennai got stuck due to the unmotorable roads and no signs of any repair. 

NH-44 is the lifeline of Tripura  which connects the state with the rest of the country, has gone it paralyzed stage since 2 years.

Reportedly, over five thousands  vehicles are standed on the route  from Assam as the road has turned into slushy mudfilled dili[piated condition

For the last 15 odd days, drivers of these vehicles have no place to go and their food and water supplies have also been exhausted.

Thousands of  drivers are suffering from food and water crisis in miserable conditions.

Although the State PWD. Dept claimed that the renovation work has already been started, but in actual the condition is just pathetic.

Unorganized reapir work fueled to the problem and totally paralyzed the NH-44.

Although the Tripura Govt. officials and Assam Govt. officials  had visited the NH-44 on Lowarpoa part and inspected twice by DC Karimganj Manoj Kumar Deka and DSP J Ranadip Sharma following the ongoing crisis of fuel and food due to National Highway’s pathetic condition, but both the State Govts are at loggerheads and  failed  to sort out the problems.

Reportedly, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has already directed to complete the work soon. In this regard, Rs. 5 crores more has been sanctioned for the immediate renovation of NHC road, so that the NH-44 work may start.

But the present situation shows no end of crisis as  ongoing reapir work has no deadlines; so Tripura's fuel to essential commodities crisis to prolong for many more weeks unless State Govt starts transportation via neighboring Bangladesh on emergency basis.