Hundreds of vehicles stranded on Mandalay-Myitkyina Highway as goods rot, passengers run out of money

Mizzima Clashes between the Myanmar military junta and revolutionary forces along the Mandalay-Myitkyina highway, the primary artery connecting central Myanmar to Kachin State, have left hundreds of vehicles stranded since 30 June. The blockade has caused severe hardship for passengers and triggered the decay of perishable goods, according to local transport operators and merchants. Travelers currently rely on three routes between Mandalay and Myitkyina. The Naba-Katha route has been blocked since the afternoon of 30 June. The Meza-Nanthe-Indaw bypass has been closed for approximately 15 days. The remaining route via Banmauk is in extremely poor condition, requiring around four nights to traverse, a private car driver told Mizzima on 7 July. “On the Naba side, vehicles are not stuck in a single location but are scattered across Naba, Pinwe, and Mawlu. More than 300 to 400 vehicles heading down from Myitkyina are trapped,” the driver said. The Meza-Nanthe-Indaw route is primarily used by large cargo trucks, though the exact number of stranded trucks there remains unverified. Communication networks are also down along these routes. As the blockade drags on, stranded passengers are running out of funds, with some struggling to afford a single meal, while those with health issues face critical challenges, and perishable commodities such as tomatoes, flowers, and betel leaves are rotting, according to a bus terminal official. A flower merchant who transports goods from Taunggyi, Mandalay, and Pyin Oo Lwin to Myitkyina and Mohnyin reported massive financial losses. “Merchants are losing flower crates worth 400,000 to 500,000 MMK (approx. US$129 to 161) each. Many of us have had to discard our inventory on the roadside because there is no one to buy them along the way,” the merchant said. The road closure has triggered a sharp surge in commodity prices in Myitkyina. A local resident said cooking oil prices rose from 6,000 MMK (approx. US$1.9) to 8,000 MMK (approx. US$2.6) per 25 ticals (approx. 400g). “Vegetables like green chilies and tomatoes that used to cost 1,500 to 2,000 MMK (approx. US$0.5 to 0.6) now cost between 3,000 and 5,000 MMK (approx. US$1 to 1.6), and items are becoming increasingly difficult to buy,” she said. On 30 June, fighting erupted between revolutionary forces and the junta army near Lankhwa village on the Katha-Naba stretch. A vendor couple from Narkhaung village was caught in the crossfire. They were killed by heavy artillery, according to a 3 July statement by Indaw Revolution (IR). The military junta launched large-scale offensives in early April to retake Indaw and Mawlu towns, which had been captured by revolutionary allied forces. Ongoing clashes from these offensives have kept the Mandalay-Myitkyina highway blocked since 30 June, Kachin-based outlet The 74 Media reported on 8 July. The post Hundreds of vehicles stranded on Mandalay-Myitkyina Highway as goods rot, passengers run out of money appeared first on ENG.MIZZIMA.COM.