Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: The Naga Students Federation wants the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited out. The group issued a release on September 13 demanding the Centre and Nagaland government strip the agency of its authority over the Dimapur-Kohima stretch of NH-29. They cited shoddy workmanship, endless delays, and basic maintenance failures as the primary reasons for the move.
Commuters face lethal hazards on this route. Drivers risk their lives during monsoons and nighttime travel, according to the federation. They point to regular rockfalls and road incidents linked to poor slope stabilization and missing safety measures. The group specifically highlighted the Medziphema-Peducha stretch for its broken surfaces, failed drainage, and crumbling infrastructure.
The federation wants the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to launch a probe into how NHIDCL managed the project. They took aim at the official status of the highway: "The NSF questioned how the package could have been certified as complete when significant components were allegedly still pending and problems continued to affect the highway." They want the National Highways Authority of India or the state Public Works Department to take over the work immediately.
The group claims NHIDCL ignored the five-year defect liability period, leaving side walls to collapse and drainage systems to fail. They also blamed the agency for a lack of emergency response planning. This pattern of failure reportedly extends to other state projects, including the Kohima Bypass, Kohima-Mao Road, Dimapur Bypass, and the Akash Bridge-Jessami Road on NH-202. The Peren-Dimapur section of NH-129A, covering both Packages II and III, also faces similar accusations of incompetence.
Comments