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A recovery van tries to pull out a loaded truck, seen stuck in a rut, at a portion of the Padampukuri road in Dimapur. [/caption]
Dimapur, September 20 : The Nagaland government has been facing the wrath of citizens over the deplorable condition of roads across the state, not to mention the roads even in urban Dimapur.
To add to their woes, heavy rainfall during the past few days has flooded the city – as it does every year. It could be the strongest indication yet that the state’s development agencies may have failed to do the needful for the roads.
Irked by the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the Nagaland PWD (roads and bridges), the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) has written a letter, dated September 8, to the department to take note and address the ‘issue of poor road conditions’ in Dimapur within 15 days from the date of issue of their letter.
The students’ organisation also addressed a similar statement to the Border Road Task Force (BRTF), of the SEWAK in Dimapur to repair the national highway starting from new field check gate to Chumukedima within 15 days.
Acting swiftly to the issue raised by the students’ organisation, the BRO inspected the road between Purana Bazar and Padampukuri on Tuesday, September 20.
However, BRO officials told media persons that with limited funds they can only afford ‘rough maintenance’ works on the road and ‘not carpeting.’ Interestingly, the same reason was conveyed to the DNSU by the PWD. The department assured to ‘fill all potholes which fall under the jurisdiction of PWD,’ though.
The BRO also disclosed that land owners along National Highway 29 were ‘creating inconvenience for the department to execute their work by not allowing construction of drains along the road.’ Maintenance is necessity for the roads, it was stated.
The departments in concern are ‘playing blame game’ among themselves, DNSU leaders said.
According to sources, as per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, undisclosed funds for a total 28 km-17.7 km for Dimapur and 10.3 km for Kohima was sanctioned to the state’s PWD for maintenance of the urban roads. However, as per sources it was reported that the department had ‘refused to take over the project due to unspecified reasons.’
After inspecting the roads with the BRO, the DNSU lamented at the poor and hazardous road conditions in Dimapur town which have lain so over a prolonged period. The DNSU has called upon both the agencies to address the matter within the time that the organization has served.
On the other hand, a press note issued by the Chief Minister’s Office on Tuesday afternoon stated that the Finance Committee of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had approved the sanction of Rs 340 crore for improvement of the highway from Dimapur to Chumukedima and Kohima Check Gate to Lerie, which passes through the state’s capital, Kohima town.