Aizawl: Raising concerns over the deteriorating condition of a key national highway that serves as Mizoram’s primary supply route, the Mizoram Truck Drivers Association (MTDA) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the state government and a construction company.
The PIL, admitted by the Aizawl bench of the Gauhati High Court, focuses on the worsening state of NH-306 and parts of NH-6.
These highways connect Mizoram’s capital Aizawl to Assam’s Silchar and are considered the state’s lifeline for transporting essential goods.
The MTDA’s petition highlights the alarming state of the Kawnpui-Sairang stretch (between 72–95 km on NH-306) and the 118–133 km segment on NH-6, particularly during the monsoon season when landslides and potholes frequently damage vehicles and endanger lives.
“The roads are in such poor shape that drivers are often afraid to use them,” a senior MTDA leader said.
Despite repeated repairs, the association claims that substandard work has made conditions worse, leading to frequent accidents and disruptions in supply chains.
Officials from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) acknowledged that repair work is ongoing on the worst-affected Kawnpui-Khamrang section of NH-6.
The NHIDCL recently took over responsibility for this stretch, along with the Bilkhawthlir-Kolasib section on NH-306, from the Mizoram Public Works Department (PWD).
Earlier this month, the Kolasib unit of the Mizoram Tipper Association (MTA) conducted emergency repairs on the Kawnpui-Khamrang stretch and temporarily blocked truck movement for six days, causing a sharp fuel shortage across the state.
State PWD Minister Vanlalhlana had earlier explained that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) transferred control of NH-6/306—from Sairang to the Assam border village of Vairengte—to NHIDCL in 2020.
However, due to incomplete repair work on the Khamrang-Kawnpui section, NHIDCL had initially declined to fully take over.
The highway was eventually handed over after repairs were completed last year.
The minister also stated that the Mizoram government spent Rs. 200 crore in the 2024–25 fiscal year and another Rs. 111.74 crore this year to repair parts of the highway after the NHIDCL failed to act promptly. He added that the state no longer receives funds from MoRTH for such works.
Meanwhile, the youth wing of the opposition Congress has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Lalduhoma and PWD Minister Vanlalhlana, accusing them of failing to ensure the maintenance of the state’s most vital road link.
In a statement, the youth wing said, “Mizoram will never see better roads until both leaders step down.”
