No vehicles carrying essential commodities and passengers have entered Mizoram since July 26 as the border row continues to simmer after a bloody clash on Monday that left 6 Assam Police personnel and a civilian dead, an official said on Saturday.
Kolasib deputy commissioner H. Lalthlangliana said although vehicles are free to move towards Assam, not a single vehicle has entered from the neighbouring state since July 26 (Monday).
Earlier, the Assam government advised the residents of the state not to travel to Mizoram following the recent clash.
In opposite to the Assam’s travel advisory, the Mizoram government recently announced a free movement to Assam and instructed the authorites to ensure the safety of non-Mizos in the state.
Mizoram is linked to the rest of the country through Assam’s Silchar by National Highway-306 that passes through the border town of Vairengte, near the spot where the violent clash took place on Monday.
The Mizoram government on Friday dashed off another letter to the Union Home Ministry complaining of economic blockade in Assam and seeking the Centre’s intervention to lift the blockade.
“The economic blockade has continued till today. As a result, no vehicular traffic has entered Mizoram from Assam,” Mizoram home secretary Lalbiaksangi said in her letter to Union additional home secretary in charge of Northeast.
The letter said vehicles carrying essential commodities and Covid19 consignment like test kits are stranded at Lailapur-Dholai area in Assam’s Cachar district on the NH-306.
Besides, the railway tracks destroyed at three locations in Assam have not been restored and railway traffic movement has not resumed till today, it said.
On July 28, the state home secretary had written a letter to the MHA, seeking its intervention to lift economic blockade being clamped in Assam since July 26.
Meanwhile, the state government has opened alternate routes to import essential commodities from other two neighbouring states- Tripura and Manipur.
Lalrozama, Deputy Commissioner of Mamit district, which shares border with Tripura, said that essential commodities, including oil and LPG are coming in from Tripura.
Sizeable number of traders from Tripura have also entered Mizoram on Saturday, he said.
The government is making massive efforts to ensure smooth movement of traffic between the two neighbouring states, he added.
According to police, the situation along the inter-state border is now calm as more troopers of CRPF have been deployed there.