Imphal, October 26 2009: The 24-hour chakka bandh and indefinite steering down strike of transporters of Indo-Burma road have totally disconnected land routes of the state with other parts of the world for the day today.

Non-plying of vehicles on Mao-Imphal-Moreh section of NH-39 and Imphal-Jiribam section of the NH-53 related with the statewide chakka bandh imposed by the All Tribal Disable Union Manipur (ATDUM) and steering down strike of the transporters along the Imphal-Moreh section of the NH-39 .

Over 78 vehicles including 71 loaded trucks and seven inter-state buses proceeding Imphal along the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH 39 stranded at Mao gate bordering with Nagaland.Reports reaching here said that these vehicles mostly originating from Guwahati and Dimapur arrived there this morning.

Late report said that all the stranded vehicles have left Mao gate for Imphal with security escort in the late afternoon.

Vehicles were remained stranded there owing to the chakka bandh imposed by the All Tribal Disable Union Manipur, a body spearheading different forms of agitations demanding reservation seats for the disabled in the recruitment of primary teacher for the schools under the hill autonomous councils which the written test already held on September 14 last.

The body has been continuing various forms of agitation seeking three percent reservation for the people with disabilities in government jobs.

The chakka bandh imposing by the body as a part of the agitation commenced from last midnight and will continue till this midnight(October 27) .

The chakka bandh did not affect normal commercial transports in the valley area even though it has some impact in the three hill district headquarters of Senapati, Chandel and Churachandpur.

Normal plying of vehicles reported from Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts.

No untoward incidents reported during the chakka bandh strike.

The border trade activities between Moreh of Manipur and Tamu of Myanmar have been brought to total halt by the chakka bandh compounded with the steering down strike of the transporters on the Indo-Myanmar section.

The suspension of services of the vehicles on this route related with the "unbearable' monetary demands from the militant outfits in the form of "tax "payable to them.

Over 15 militant outfits including those enjoying ceasefire with the security forces under Suspension of Operation (SoO) are extorting money from all kinds of commercial service vehicles plying along this route, according to the transporters.

Some of them are collecting on daily basis, some on monthly basis and some of them annually.

Despite repeated plea to the government for security protection on this route, authority is remaining in mute.

The steering down strike will continue till authority gives a written assurance for full security proof to the transporters or militant groups withdraw their extortion activities, a transporter who wanted to omit his name said.

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