Tripura has urged transportation of essential commodities and fuel through Bangladesh as the Assam-Agartala National Highway considered to be the lifeline of the state has remained closed for the last three months due to the damages caused by heavy rains and waterlogging.
"This is a matter of grave concern for us that the National Highway (NH8) is closed for last three months due to damage to a portion of road at Lowerpoa in Karimganj district of Assam. As the trucks carrying essential commodities and fuel are stranded in Assam side, the state is facing crisis of fuel and essential commodities," Minister for Food and Civil Supply Bhanulal Saha told reporters here today.
He demanded that the central government should arrange for transportation of essential goods by using the waterways and roads in neighbouring Bangladesh.
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Earlier on several occasions, commodities were shipped to the state by using the waterways and through the Ashuganj port on the river Meghna. The port is just 50 kms away from the state capital Agartala.
"We have sent proposals to the central government on urgent basis to take up the matter of transporting the goods with Bangladesh, otherwise the state would face severe crisis of essentials goods as the buffer stock is almost exhausted," Saha told reporters.
He also sent a proposal to the ministry of railways for carrying the trucks loaded with the essential commodities by rail from Baarpur in Assam to Agartala.
However, he did not receive any response from the central government so far, Saha said.
