Blockade on key highway relaxed

In a partial relief, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Saturday morning relaxed for 12 hours its indefinite blockade of the National Highway 31A to allow the vehicles bearing Sikkim number plates to ply on the sole road link between the Himalayan state and Siligudi.

In a partial relief, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Saturday morning relaxed for 12 hours its indefinite blockade of the National Highway 31A to allow the vehicles bearing Sikkim number plates to ply on the sole road link between the Himalayan state and Siligudi.

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As many as 300 vehicles bearing Sikkim number plates has passed through the inter-state check post at Rangpo since 6 am, a police official told PTI in Gangtok.

The GJM activists were, however, not letting the vehicles bearing West Bengal number plates to run on about 60-km stretch of the highway even during the relaxation hours due to political reasons, the official said.

"We will continue to give such concessions to Sikkim in future also to ease the difficulties of the people of the border state," GJM leaders said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of trucks carrying the essential supplies, including vegetables, have left Siliguri for various destinations in Sikkim to meet the requirements of the people there when the NH-31A blockade resumes this evening, officials said.