A nearly three-month-long disruption in stone supply has left stone traders, crusher owners, transporters and workers in serious financial distress across North Tripura's Dharmanagar subdivision.

Several small and large stone crushers in the region are reportedly facing closure due to the shortage of raw materials. The disruption has also raised concerns over construction and development projects, while transporters, local markets and small businesses have suffered significant losses.

The Churaibari area has been particularly affected, with many families depending on the stone trade for their livelihood. According to local traders, a large number of people have purchased vehicles through bank loans or instalments to transport boulders from Meghalaya. With transportation disrupted for months, many are struggling to repay their monthly instalments, and some vehicles have reportedly been taken over by finance companies.

To discuss the crisis, the Tripura Boulder Merchant Association organised a meeting on Sunday at the residence of its president, Milan Debnath. Stone traders, crusher owners, vehicle owners, drivers and representatives of workers' organisations attended the meeting.

Traders alleged that vehicles carrying boulders from Meghalaya, even with valid documents, are being stopped at Digharkhal gate in Assam. They claimed that several stone-laden vehicles have been held there, disrupting the supply chain to Tripura.

The traders said the problem is affecting not only their businesses but also construction and development activities in the state. A continued shortage of stone could delay various ongoing projects, they said, while thousands of people dependent on the sector face growing uncertainty.

Another major concern raised at the meeting was the transportation of river stones from Assam. Traders alleged that during the monsoon, water retained in river stones increases the overall weight of vehicles, resulting in hefty penalties at the Churaibari MGI weighbridge. They claimed that fines of up to around Rs 22,000 are being imposed in some cases, despite the profit from transporting and selling a vehicle-load of stone being only around Rs 1,000–1,500.

The traders urged the Tripura and Assam governments to intervene immediately and resolve the problems at Digharkhal gate and other checkpoints. They warned that failure to restore normal stone transportation could force thousands of people associated with the sector to launch an agitation.

The meeting was attended by Boulder Merchant Association president Milan Debnath, vice-president Abdul Hasim Talukdar, secretary Rupak Debnath, joint secretary Chhayab Ali Laskar, Raja Ghar, Selim Mia, Iqbal Hossain, Biswajit Ghosh, Sujel Ahmed and others.