Villages in Chessore cut off by swollen stream

DIMAPUR — Heavy monsoon rains have caused the Müksühke stream in Shamator to swell, completely cutting off access to Longtoker, Kelonger, Moyit and K Longsor villages in Chessore area.

According to residents, the main PWD route was first blocked by a landslide last year. The Public Works Department has reportedly informed villagers that no repair or reconstruction can begin without inclusion in a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Meanwhile, multiple landslides along NH-202—from Helipong to Chessore, with a major slide between Kelonger and Longsor—have kept that highway closed since 2024.

A resident of Longtoker told this newspaper that villagers of Kelonger and Longtoker built a temporary bypass road. However, this alternative route also becomes unusable during heavy rains, as the rising water level in the stream makes it impossible for vehicles to cross.

Also read: NH-29 opens for light vehicles during daytime

The villager said that it takes around 16 kilometres from Longtoker to reach the stream crossing, which has become impassable due to the monsoon-induced overflow. The Müksühke stream, formed by the merger of Alotsuh Yea-ke and Longsen-ke streams, becomes particularly dangerous during the rainy season.

He mentioned that officials from the Agriculture department, who recently planned a visit to Longtoker under a government scheme, had to turn back as the village was inaccessible. The department had selected three villages from the Chessore area, but could only reach two.

With no shorter route available, villagers must now follow a lengthy detour via Sotokur, Helipong, Tuensang and Shamator to reach Chessore—a journey that takes an estimated six to seven hours by vehicle.

This has been an ongoing issue for several years, he added.

Read more: Shamator district still struggling with infrastructure, three years after inception