AGARTALA, April 7 (TIWN):The deplorable condition of National Highway 44 – the only road connectivity that links mainland India with the eastern part of Meghalaya, Barak Valley in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura now remained a harrowing experience for helpless commuters due to heavy seasonal landslides. Due to this more than 8000 vehicles were trapped in between Tripura’s Churaibari and Assam’s Patharkandi area. While shocking news of death of an old lady named as Santoshri Reang (58) of Belonia’s Kukibari area is reported due to thunderstorm. After passing seven consecutive days, both Assam and Tripura Government still now had not taken any steps to improve the overall condition. The present road turns from its original shape into a muddy or dusty road, depending on whether it is sunny or rainy and the commuters have no option but to travel through this long stretch of “jumpy bumpy” road full of potholes and boulders, at times risking their own life, while on other occasions, putting their lives and safety in the hands of the driver. Whereas the drivers of the trapped vehicles has to pass day-night without taking food and water. Vegetables and other perishable items in trucks have started decomposing. The affected areas are facing shortage of food and there is hardly any scope for transshipment in both the places. As a result, Tripura is cut off from other States.

The import-export condition is becoming deplorable.

Meanwhile, incessant rains across the state since few days have thrown life out of gear. Many major streets in Agartala have gone under water and a number of roads, lanes and houses are waterlogged. On the other hand, high velocity wind created havoc in entire North and Unakoti districts but there was no human casualty yet. A gusty wind along with downpour hit the entire Dharmanagar town leaving a trail of destruction here and there. Several electricity posts were uprooted while many streets blocked after trees fell on them. Villages like Raghna, Purba Kanti and Bashkanti were also witnessed havoc due to the storm.

The entire Dharmanagar town plunged into complete dark after transmission line witnessed huge loss due to the storm. In Kanchanpur town also witnessed a trail of destruction after the gusty downpour hit the subdivision. Many trees were uprooted while electricity transmission system witnessed extensive damage due to the heavy downpour with high velocity wind.