Nagaland landslide: No respite for commuters as fresh mudslides hit clearance efforts

KOHIMA — The effort to resume one-way traffic for stranded vehicles to pass through the National Highway-29 between Kohima and Dimapur received a setback on Thursday, as fresh mudslides caused by persistent rainfall delayed the clearance work at the landslide area near Dzüdza Bridge.

Sources involved in the clearance work at the landslide site informed this newspaper that they were expecting to open the road for traffic by Thursday evening, as the affected stretch was almost clearing up by afternoon, before heavy outpours in the evening caused fresh landslides, blocking the road again.

Relentless efforts are on to restore the road as soon as possible but it all depends on the rainfall, said, the source, adding that the parties involved are planning to deploy more machinery to speed up the clearance work.

An official of M/s Brand Eagles, the NHIDCL-engaged construction company for package-III (two-lane) where the stretch comes under, had told Eastern Mirror on Wednesday that they were planning to open the affected area for one-way traffic by the evening of Thursday, provided heavy rainfall subsides.

However, their worst fears came true as rainfall triggered more mudslides on Thursday.

It may be mentioned that the 100-150 meter stretch of NH-29 near Dzüdza Bridge under the Sechu-Zubza subdivision of Kohima was completely cut off after major landslides occurred last week. The stretch was closed for vehicular movement earlier last week just hours after it was opened for one-way traffic earlier, following rainfall-induced mudslides.

During an interaction with this newspaper on Wednesday, the contractors and authorities had expressed uncertainty over the completion of debris clearance work, citing the grim realities at the affected site, as slush soil continuous to flow from about 300 meters above the road.

Also read: Road to ruin: NH-29 crippled, commuters stranded in Nagaland