Morung Express News
Mokokchung | October 30
The deplorable condition of Nagaland state’s second busiest highway, the Mokokchung-Mariani Road (NH 702D) has been the cause of ire for the people of the region for long. The road, which was under the Border Roads Organization till April of this year, was transferred to the state’s National Highways department and was declared NH 702D but the road’s condition remains the same, if not worse. The 63 km road stretch is the lifeline of Mokokchung as well as that of Tuensang, Zunheboto and Longleng.
The appalling road condition of NH 702D has been an issue for several years with several civil society organizations, mass based organizations and concerned citizens raising their complaints as well as the district administration writing several memos to Kohima on the matter. The district administration has also taken up the matter with the BRO several times in the past but no positive results have been forthcoming. “However, the BRO being aware that the road was to be transferred to the NH department were not sincere in their efforts,” says the administrative report by Mokokchung district administration on the status of NH 702D submitted to the Commissioner, Nagaland, Kohima. “The road was transferred to the NH Department and declared as the NH 702D in April 2016 and the BRO were to maintain the road till September 2016 during the transition period. However, no such works were carried out,” the report added.
The road was classified as a “class 9 road” under the BRO with a carrying tonnage of 9 tons. The road has not been upgraded since it was first built while traffic and tonnage has increased over the years, which has contributed to the rapid deterioration of the road condition.
There are two “vulnerable spots” along the route; of which one near Chungtia village has been “remedied to an extent” but the second one below Changki is causing much disruption to traffic, the administrative report stated. There have been several accidents including loss of life and property due to the bad road condition along this route.
With the support from the government not forthcoming, a number of groups and organizations have over the years voluntarily repaired the road while others have resorted to methods that mount more pressure on the government. At least four commercial vehicles owners associations have been appealing to the authorities to repair the road since August this year.
With no positive response coming from the authorities, these organizations had on October 19 declared to impose a bandh in Mokokchung from November 1 onward for an indefinite period to “protest against the apathy of the state government in repairing the Mokokchung-Mariani Road (NH 702D).” As stated in the administrative report, a bandh on this route would adversely affect not only Mokokchung but the neighbouring districts as well.
MDTOA puts proposed bandh in abeyance
It may be recalled that the Mokokchung District Truck Owners Association (MDTOA) had on August 18 written to the district administration of Mokokchung to ensure that the road be repaired within 30 days. Consequently, a meeting was called involving all stake holders on September 5 where it was agreed to grant another 30 days to repair the road. A second meeting was convened on October 5 which was followed by extending the deadline by another 30 days, till October 18. An onsite inspection was conducted on October 21 and a ‘report on maintenance of NH 702D’ was prepared and submitted by the department concerned on October 24.
Following this, the district administration convened a meeting on October 28 where the commercial vehicles owners were requested to “extend the deadline to November 20,” to which the later “reluctantly” agreed. The commercial vehicles owners have clarified that the proposed bandh has not been called off but put on abeyance and they would impose a ‘lightning bandh’ without any prior information if the authorities do not start repairing the road to their satisfaction by the “first week of November.”
