Imphal, August 01 2010: Inspite of the Central team's assurance to provide adequate security cover, the Transporters and Drivers' Council (TDC) Manipur has reasserted that goods and passenger carriers would not resume service along the Imphal-Dimapur section of National highway-39 .

While sticking to its earlier stand to never take the NH-39 route again, the Council renewed their call for accelerating development work along the ImphalJiribam section of NH-53 .

Speaking to newspersons at its MG Avenue office, TDC vice president Th Ibohal dismissed as flimsy and improbable, the assurance by the Central team that there would be adequate provision of security forces and compensation to owners whose vehicles have been damaged would be considered.

Construing that the belated assurance is a ploy to woo transporters resume service along the NH-39, Ibohal maintained that similar assurances had been given in the past on many occasions without any action resulting in continuous suffering by the transport operators.

He also conveyed that Council members, who attended the joint meeting with the Central team, the Chief Minister and State Government officials yesterday, reiterated demand for expeditious development of NH-53 when the Central team members assured all possible assistance whenever any unwanted incident occurs while plying along NH-39 .

Ibohal further disclosed that an emergency meeting of TDC held today has reiterated its resolution of not plying along the Imphal-Dimapur section.

It is also informed that the meeting decided to approach the State Government for supply points at Jiribam in order to facilitate procurement of essential commodities including food grain, fuel, petroleum products and other essential items.