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Isn't it utterly disheartening to find one of the most plied roads, aside from National Highway, i.e. Niuland - Dimapur roadway, as the most depleted in its unattended condition, inspite of it playing most vital roles to Dimapurians? Well, it is one of the busiest roadways adjoining Dimapur Town for series of reasons.
Basically speaking, it's the only major road for more than 60 villages to commute inorder to reach major towns; and for the villagers to inter-travel from one village to another. Despite its horrendous state, people living in these areas are condemned to take this only road to reach their set destination for whatever reasons.
Primarily speaking, it is indeed a busy way because it is a lifeline for Dimapurians. It'd be prudent to know that majority of timbers and bamboos in demand by Dimapurians and nearby states are derived from these areas, enriched with manually-maintained rich flora vegetation. Bulk of the raw timbers and bamboos needed in mills, furniture, plywood industries and numerous other artifacts' small scale industries are borne by vegetation from this geographical areas.
Also, furthermore, there'd be total lack of concrete boulders and crushed stones if there was no mode of transportation to Zubza Valley, few kilometres before reaching Niuland, which runs between Niuland- Dimapur Road. Peering through collective sight, its daunting to know that every ongoing RCC Constructions, and roads in Dimapur derives it raw materials from Zubza River; It'd be impartial should I not mention that through this road, the entire Legislative Members' private residents and villas that were recently build or is in the process, in-and-around Dimapur, all boulders and concrete stones supplements are transported.
In addition, many-a-sapplings of various flora sold in and around Dimapur are provided from these areas. Apart from natural resources, major number of people dwelling in these areas practice commercial system of agriculture. To market the harvested cash-crops, these people have to transport it to Dimapur. Here, they are met with another drawback since its impossible to hire a carrier vehicle at a normal rate due to the unwillingness of drivers to ply this road. Henceforth, these people end up paying an arm and a leg to transport their harvested products. And ultimately, the seller is left with no favourable choice but to inflate the harvested prices.
On top of it all, many a Dimapurians, myself included, have started to establish mini plants and production factories along Dimapur- Niuland Road, because of the congestion impediment we face in Dimapur. We entrepreneurs living in Dimapur Town, practically, have to ply to-and-fro constantly whenever situations demand.
Plying through Dimapur-Niuland Road is exhausting. For the past couple of years, the road was infused with potholes, from the juncture you cross 4th. Mile Traffic Point NH 29 till you reach your destination. You can equate vehicle transportation in this road to a straining galloping horse ride. And galloping rides for several kilometres doesn't enthuse me. It often discourages me, to a point, if I should relocate somewhere in the main nook of Dimapur. Like me, many of the Dimapurian entrepreneurs who have set up plants and factories in these regions are leaning towards shifting their plants to Dimapur Town if the road conditions are unheeded.
Yes, we know that the fumes, dusts and noises produced are genuinely hazardous to people dwelling in the nearby areas. But the road condition is continually forcing us entrepreneurs to shift our plants to Dimapur Town.
A couples of months back, it was heart-lifting to witness a contractor filling potholes and soiling the road: the preliminary stages of work before the roads are metalled, not the system in which soiling of the road is final. But even long after the preliminary works were completed, I didn't witness the final stage of black-topping. Through inquiry, I learned that no bill for the final stage of work has even been proposed or sanctioned by the Assembly. That is insanely ludicrous. Its equivalent to proposing a bill for a skeletal frame of a building but for the walls and roofs and doors are excluded. Who would pass such a Bill!
At the present moment, it has became incredibly fatal for the pedestrians walking on the sides of the road. Since black-topping was not ensured at an appropriate time, every block of jagged concrete stone laid during soiling stage have become loose, due to the continuous plying of motor vehicles. God bless the pedestrians. It is more than likely these pedestrians are injured should a passing vehicle's tyre come in contact with these loose stones at less than 1/3 one-third of the concrete size. It'd send the blocks flying at the pedestrians walking by the sides. I ain't a physicist, but I assume the velocity propagated by a running vehicle on the stone could be very lethal, should such instances occur. I don't attempt to accessorise but God help the appropriate custodian of the road, if the fatality befall upon many school children coming and going from schools everyday on the sides of the road along with other pedestrians.
And therefore, I plea not to a particular Elected Legislative Member holding a particular Portfolio, or the Cabinet but to the Whole House to not look into it; or wait for the next Annual Planning Assembly, but to kindly divert some funds from allotted grants that are not urgently needed.
ALLOW me to relate that some of the major factors that'd benefit the overall population and also fill more to State's Government coffers.
Majority of the lorries plying at Niuland-Dimapur Road are owed by Assamese, hired by our local entrepreneurs in contingency. So, whatever our local entrepreneurs transport, a handsome part of the profits are pocketed by the lorry owners living in Assam. It is not that our people cannot afford their own lorries, but are daunted knowing the condition of the road. The degrading state of the road often impede people inhabited in these areas to not only owe lorries but personal motor vehicles.
Should the road be maintained regularly, many reluctant locals would most assuredly invest in lorries and personal motor vehicles. In return, the State Government profits through series of motor vehicles' registrations, road tax, and fitness tax for goods carriers and passenger carrying vehicles. It may not appear much at a glance, but when you add it up annually, its definitely worthwhile.
Seriously speaking, there's not much to be gained by the State Government. Although, majority of farmers grows cash-crops in these regions and brought to be capitalised in Dimapur, since no State Tax are levied upon them, except municipal tax, its a moot point.
Despite the above stated fact, our Government should note that Dimapur-Niuland Road is one of the gateways to Nagaland since it plays a vital role to reach a major part of Naga regions. So, it indeed plays a major factor for outsiders in their reviews during their exploration of Nagaland.
NEVERTHELESS, a well-maintained road will be a godsend to the inhabitants of these regions and to every Dimapurians. For one, there'd be a dramatic reduction in commercial vehicles' fare. Then, there'd be a domino effect on every good brought to Dimapur from these regions. Every commodity transported from these regions become cheaper and more availing.
Also, citizens trying to procure commercial vehicles in Dimapur to reach these regions will no longer be unfortunate, failing to find drivers willing to provide their services because of the ill condition of the road.
In terms of sick individuals' well-being, who are in need to be transported to Dimapur for better health care, it'd be a boon. No longer would a mildly sick patient become a chronic one after they reach Dimapur because of the wild ride, striking thousands of potholes and disassembled blocks of rocks, during their transportation.
Viketo N Sumi
Purana Bazar, Dimapur.
viketo06@gmail.com