Imphal, July 01, 2010: Another burden added to the truckers plying the NH 53 as security personnel deploying on stretch of the highway for the safe passage of vehicles allegedly collected money from them besides extortion by the undergrounds.

Reports from various sources said that security personnel at Keithelmanbi, None, Nungba, Gularthon and Jiri have started collecting money in illegal manner from the vehicles transporting essential commodities on NH 53. The drivers and handymen lamented they (security personnel) collected money on the route citing and it added another woes to the truckers transporting essential items on the highways confronting the worst road condition and landslides both major and minor in different portions of the highway.

The illegal act of security personnel has discouraged the drivers and handymen to continue plying on the route, drivers lamented.

Security personnel conduct checking to the trucks to ascertain the kind of goods ferry by them and fix the rate of money they are to collect from the truckers.

The road condition from Barak Bridge to Keimai which is about 22 km is in highly deplorable condition with boulders and deep pitches at every step.

Trucks are frequently stuck in the middle of the road leading to the blocking of other vehicles at the rear, they observed.

Passengers travelling in light vehicles like DI tata have to walk and push the vehicles at most part of the stretch.

In such condition one has to take three days in reaching Jiribam which is normally could reached in a day.

Eye witness accounts said that due to improper drainage on sides of the road is also another problem as water remains log on the road in various portions.

If the road condition is not improved at earliest, the road would become accident prone route, they lamented.