A massive landslide took place on National Highway 37 (NH-37) connecting Silchar, Assam and Imphal, Manipur, which brought traffic to a complete halt. The incident occurred early Sunday (October 12) in the Jujang Hill area under Lakhipur in the Cachar district following incessant rainfall.
Due to continuous rainfall in Cachar, a large portion of hillside of Jujang hills collapsed onto the NH 37, covering it with huge amounts of mud and debris. As a result, hundreds of vehicle, including passenger bus, stranded on both sides of the road.
A stranded passenger shared, “Hundreds of vehicles are stuck on both sides of the road, making travel extremely difficult for passengers and drivers. Even though NHIDCL has deployed JCBs for clearing, the route doesn’t seem likely to open before evening.”
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has deployed excavators and heavy machinery to clear the debris. However, officials are facing major challenges as the volume of soil and boulders is immense. Clearing operations are expected to take several more hours before traffic can resume.
Commuters traveling between Manipur and Silchar, as well as those heading toward Jirighat, are among the worst affected. Many passengers have criticized NHIDCL for poor road maintenance and the lack of preventive measures despite frequent landslides in the hilly regions of Northeast India.
