Morung Express news
Kohima | December 5
Despite being the State's capital, there has been no respite to woes for motorists in the 'Smart City.'
Meto, an elderly citizen, recalled the Kohima roads, some decades back which he said were more peaceful and clean. “Back then, the GREF, would clean up the whole stretch of nulla (drain) and a black top with bitumen on the road kept us contended. Some of the most memorable examples were the signage with quotes that were put up along the roads by BRO,” he stated.
“Forget about the main town road, the roads leading to elsewhere from Kohima always have an underlying problem. Look at the national highway from Kohima to Mao Gate, the issue never seems to have rested even with pressure groups, or courts taking action,” he said.
Munulhu, a two wheeler delivery agent shared a number of challenges. One was the longer duration for deliveries due to potholes, uneven surfaces and narrow paths.
He added that rough roads lead to more vehicle damage, including tire wear and suspension issues. He said that driving on poor roads consume more fuel, adding to more operational expenses. They also continue to face risk of accidents due to poor road condition. Apart from that, as delivery agents they face significant challenges of customer dissatisfaction for delayed deliveries which in turn impacts the reputation of their service.
Dihe Mao, a working professional, pointed to the woeful condition of the road from Kohima to Mao Gate. “For more than 20 years I've been traveling on this road from Kohima to Jakhama for my duty. This time I'm experiencing the worst road conditions,” Dihe explained. “It is far below the standard of national highways,” Dihe sighed.
Kenei, a research scholar, said Nagaland should reflect on the road condition of neighbouring Northeastern states which have similar terrain. “Nagaland should learn from Meghalaya or states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram or hills district of Manipur. Despite being a hilly state, the road has no problem or repair works are not hampered despite unavoidable natural calamities.”
The State Government has started initiating patchwork repair; however the quality appears compromised as repairs are limited to covering up of potholes.
