AGARTALA, Aug 6 (TIWN): With the improvement in the condition of the National Highway 8(44), the food and other essential goods crisis has almost met an end. Starting from fuel, diesel, LPG bullets, perishable and non-perishable goods are continuously entering the state. Talking to TIWN correspondent, Food and Civil Supplies Director Soumitra Banerjee said that supply of essential commodities including diesel, petrol LPG and food grains has started returning to normal to the landlocked state of Tripura after more than 2 months. He further said that this has become possible only due to immediate repair of 20-km portion of an alternative highway on its inter-state border with Assam. Everyday tankers carrying diesel and petrol are moving in to Tripura through the repaired Kathaltoli-Chankhira stretch. Situation was so bad in the past few weeks that as most petrol pumps went dry the authorities had to resort to rationing of fuel.Tripura had in the past few days witnessed strong protests by petroleum consumers as well as opposition political parties over the fuel shortage. Trinamool Congress workers blocked roads, burnt effigies of ministers and demonstrated against the government for its alleged failure to maintain smooth supply.

But, even as the alternative highway which is currently being used only for passing fuel tankers – is back in use, National Highway 8, the main lifeline of Tripura continues to be in bad shape despite repeated pleas by the state government to the Centre.

About one km of NH8 between Churaibari and Lowerpoa – again inside Assam territory has mostly remained unusable since the rains began in May. The Assam PWD has started repairing it last week, but officials in Tripura said the progress was slow. With the major potholes filled and the knee-deep slush removed, vehicles however have started taking NH8 too.

Now that the Kathaltoli-Chankhira portion of the alternative highway is through and NH8 is also slowly back in shape, the state can hope to stock as much fuel and other essential items required for the remaining months of the rainy season, said Banerjee.

Other than taking any steps to curb the problem of petrol crisis, the Tripura government has blamed the Centre for the "pitiable state of National Highway" linking Tripura with the rest of the country through Assam, Meghalaya and north Bengal.

A 22-km stretch of the highway between Patharkandi in Karimganj district of Assam and Churaibari in the state has remained virtually unusable due to lack of timely repair.

On the one hand the authority says that the maintenance continues round the clock in the year, question arises if maintenance is carried out in the entire year why splash of rain disrupts the traffic movement in the NH44(8).