Fuel transporters in Manipur begin steering wheel down strike from July 31 over alleged illegal taxes on NH-37 after talks with government fail.
Imphal, July 30: Petroleum transporters and drivers’ associations in Manipur have announced a “steering wheel down strike” from July 31, 2026, after failing to reach a concrete resolution with the state government over their demand for action against alleged illegal collections from fuel tankers operating along the Imphal-Jiribam route of National Highway-37.
The Manipur Petroleum Transporters & Drivers Association stated on Thursday that the 15-day notice period submitted to the Chief Minister on July 15 had expired without a final solution to the issue.
The decision will affect the transportation of petroleum products and LPG supplies in the state, with associations announcing a halt on loading and supply operations from key fuel distribution points.
According to the association’s statement, no loading or supply of petroleum products will take place from the Malom Depot in Imphal to petrol pumps and retail outlets from July 31.
Similarly, LPG cylinder loading and supply from the Sekmai Bottling Plant will remain suspended during the strike period.
The associations also announced that empty tankers from New Keithelmanbi will not join convoys and loaded tankers from Jiribam will not participate in onward movement during the strike.
However, tankers stranded on NH-37 before or on July 30 will be allowed to reach their destinations, the statement added.
Petrol pumps across Manipur will continue functioning until their existing stocks, received on or before July 30, are exhausted.
The transporters said a delegation-level meeting was held with government authorities on July 29, where various concerns were discussed, including the need to frame a state law to prevent and take action against illegal collections on national highways.
“However, no concrete resolution has been arrived at on this matter,” the association stated, adding that the planned strike would proceed as announced in the July 15 memorandum.
The associations have appealed to the public to support their demand, stating that alleged illegal collections on highways contribute to increased transportation costs and affect prices of essential commodities.
RELATED NEWS: Fuel Transporters Warn of Service Suspension Over Alleged Extortion on NH-37 in Manipur
Earlier on July 15, several petroleum transport and dealer associations submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and other authorities, alleging repeated illegal collections from fuel tankers travelling on NH-37 between Imphal and Jiribam.
The associations claimed that the alleged collections had continued since May 2023 despite the movement of fuel convoys under CRPF escort.
The memorandum stated that around 100 fuel tankers move along the highway during each convoy operation. Transporters alleged that money was being collected at multiple locations along the route.
They claimed that collections, which were initially around Rs 200 per trip, had gradually increased and in some cases exceeded Rs 7,000 per journey.
The associations stated that these additional expenses were not included in transportation contracts with oil marketing companies and were being borne by transport operators.
RELATED NEWS: Highway Patrol Team Formed on NH-37 as Noney Administration Moves Against Extortion Complaints
Meanwhile, the Noney district administration had earlier constituted a multi-agency Highway Patrol Team along NH-37 to address concerns over extortion, improve road safety and ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles.
The team, formed on July 18, includes officials from the district administration, Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and agencies involved in highway maintenance.
The district administration said the team would conduct regular patrols, monitor traffic movement, inspect highway maintenance activities and coordinate with concerned agencies to address issues affecting commuters.
Deputy Commissioner Vidhyamari Sridhar had also appealed to transporters and the public to report incidents of extortion, intimidation or other unlawful activities to authorities.
The Imphal-Jiribam highway remains a vital transport corridor for Manipur, carrying essential supplies including fuel and other commodities from outside the state.
