AGARTALA, April 3 (TIWN): Incessant rainfall over past few days has yet again left the NH-44 in a pitiable condition. Due to the rain, vehicle movement was nearly stopped with the continuous water logged between Lowerpoa to Churaibari Gate. 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 NH-44. 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 has for a long time now remained a harrowing experience for helpless commuters. And it continues to give horrific experience to the people with zero improvement in the renovation of the road. About hundreds of vehicles were stranded at the National highway due to the water log. However, the movement of vehicles began fluently from Friday morning.It is to be mentioned here that the condition of these stretches of the highways has become so bad that in some patches these have turned into virtual craters. In fact, the deplorable condition of these national highways have led to resentment among the local people, with the demand for their maintenance growing and intensifying.

 The poor condition of the NH44 has lead to endless sufferings for the state people. Starting from transportation problem, now the people are facing the threat of price hike in the state.

Although lately, the state govt. has opened an alternative way of NH-44 by which goods may be exported and imported but the same alternative road has also beak down due to over load. Since last many days’ goods had been found rotten on Assam-Agartala road, as vehicles were stranded along the NH-44 highway.

It is to be mentioned here that Keeping in mind of the poor condition of Assam-Agartala National Highway, the state government has decided to use NEC Highway- Kokital to Dharmanagar via Kathaltali to transport essential items to the state as an alternative route and the sources also say that the alternative road is also left in poor condition.

The land-locked Tripura was cut-off from the rest of the country by road as a large portion of National Highway-44 (NH-44) was damaged in Assam due to the rains. The National Highway got badly damaged in around 5 km in Assam's Lowerpowa area due to incessant monsoon rains. The 630-km-long NH-44 is the only one that links Tripura by road with the rest of India via Shillong and Guwahati.

Frequent disruption of vehicular movement, seasonal landslides and alarmingly high rates of tragic accidents that claims scores of lives, have become the order of the day, but so far none of the authorities responsible for the day-to-day upkeep of the arterial road have come to the rescue of the commuters.

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 terrible road.