Road accidents surge in Nagaland; revenue dips

Road accidents in Nagaland from 2018 to 2020

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Mar. 1 (EMN): Nagaland witnessed a surge in the number of road accidents, fatalities and injuries in 2020 over the previous year, according to information provided by the Police department.

The total number of road accidents in 2020 was 537 compared to 378 in 2019 and 475 in 2018, while the number fatalities last year was 52 against 39 in the previous year. As many as 40 fatalities and 250 injuries were recorded in 2018.

This was stated in the annual administrative report of Transport department, 2020-21.

In view of the alarming increase in the number of road accidents and fatalities, the Motor Vehicle department, as the lead agency for road safety, is determined to achieve “Vision Zero: Zero Accidents, Zero Fatalities” in the state in the next five years by establishing professionally managed Institute of Driving and Traffic Research, standardised mechanism and through generating mass awareness at all levels, the report stated.

The enforcing wing of the transport department also informed that a total of 338 defaulters were detected from which a total amount of INR 3,27,800 was realised as compounding fee amidst the pandemic. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the enforcement duty could not be performed regularly, it stated.

Revenue dips

The department, which has total staff strength of 1087, stated in its annual report that non-developmental expenditure for 2020-21 (till Jan. 2021) was INR 1339.57 lakh and that of developmental expenditure was INR 840.10 lakh (including INR 547 lakh SPA). Disrupting the consistent increase in revenue over the past four years, income dipped from INR 13332.40 lakh to INR 7085.41 (April 1 to Dec. 2020) against the target of INR 15672 lakh.

10503 vehicles registered

It went on to inform that a total of 10503 vehicles, including two wheelers-3733, light motor-4349, goods-1944, passengers-306 and others-171 were registered between April 1 2020 and January 31 2021. As many as 12394 driving licenses were also issued during the same period.

The Nagaland State Transport functions with multi-activities: passenger bus service operation, state helicopter service operation, civil infrastructure development, management of drivers’ training institute, and liaise and co-ordinates with civil aviation and air connectivity, railways and inland water transport.

New and proposed services

The department inducted eight new buses for city services operation, taking the total fleet to 236. It was also informed that the department introduced three new bus services – Dimapur to Rüzazho village, Wokha-New Riphyim and Tuensang-ITC (Dan) – during 2020-21. The present fare structure stands at 136 paise per km for semi deluxe category and 174 paise per km for super deluxe and minibus.

According to the report, the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, GoI, and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) through M/s. Rites Ltd. has identified the under-mentioned rivers as having potentialities for Inland Water Transport in the State:

• Tizu river from tri-confluence near Longmatra to Avangkhu of 42 km (approx.) for Indo-Myanmar.
• Dhansiri river from Samjuran to Numaligarh via Dimapur of 110 km (approx.) for inter-state waterways of Nagaland-Assam.
• Dikhu river from Yangnyu to Naginimora, Nagaland of about 52 km for connection to Brahmaputra river in Assam via Sibsagar for Inter-State waterways of Nagaland-Assam.
• Doyang River, 61 km length of the river from bridge near Sialmari, Assam for Inter-State waterways of Nagaland-Assam.

Ongoing and completed projects

The department stated that the construction of Transport Commissioner’s Office at Kohima, which started in 2011, is 85% completed (civil works) and INR 1 core was earmarked in 2020-21 budget. It added that the construction work (started in 2011) of RTO office-cum pollution testing centre at Mokokchung, for which INR 193.10 lakh has been provided, is in progress, while the Inspection and Certification Centre at Chümoukedima (cost INR 14.4 crore) is completed.

In regard to construction of civilian helipads in the state, the ones at Kohima, Pfutsero, Alichen-Mokokchung, Tizit, Satoi, Peren new dist. HQ, Zunheboto, Secretariat Plaza and Wokha have been completed, while the ongoing projects include Phek (40% complete), Hanger at Kohima (60%), Mon (30%) and Chümoukedima heliport Phase-1 (40%).