Welcome to the table of the coffee drinker’s club. Some may find our brew very strong and hot for their taste though there are different varieties of coffee from which you may choose. If you are allergic to coffee then you may un-invite yourself, although, all are welcome to share a mug of coffee of their choice. Well, today the coffee drinkers were enjoying mugs of coffee when our friend who has been in Mumbai since the last decade barged in like a mad bull. We were all shocked to see him and at the same time the way he barged in caused quite a stir in the coffee table.. One of us offered him a chair which he accepted without even a word of acknowledgement. The moment ha sat down he started berating us about the condition of the road. He said that he left the road in good condition when he left for Delhi and asked us to explain why the road has been turned into a jungle road. We asked him about which road he was talking about? To which he said that it took him about 4 (Four) hours drive from Kohima to Mokokchung which is about 172 Kms whereas it took him more than 5 hours from Mokokchung to Tuensang a distance of 80 kms only.
Now, we understood why he was so mad and agitated so to calm him down one of us opined that it has been a normal way of life for the citizens of Tuensang and Kiphire ever since the road was upgraded to the status of National Highway and taken over by the Nagaland Public works Department. To which, another coffee drinker, to soothe his feelings added that we could still make best use of the road. In the course of our discussion, we started brainstorming how to make best use of the National Highway gifted to us by the Govt. of India which was upgraded from the border road to the status of National Highway 155 in the year 2004. In the course of our drinks along with the brainstorming session combined with the caffeinated drinks we all got caffeined after 3 to 4 mugs of coffee. Now our morose friend who seldom utters hardly one sentence stood up and said that he has been frequenting the road and suggested that it could be used as a swimming pool of world class standard to encourage youngsters to take up swimming discipline so that we could produce another Olympic champion like Phelps. Another drinker also suggested that the road could be used as a fishery pond which would boost the economy of the backward people. Still another coffee drinker suggested that it could be turned into a terraced field where fishes could also be accommodated. Then, a drinker who always talks of tourism and its potential said that as there are brooks running on the road and the way seems to be full of hedges and bushes it could be turned into a tourist trail where foreign tourist will have a new experience.
Instead of assuaging his agitated mind our friend got more infuriated and asked us all to stop the nonsense. He said that the road was one of the best in Nagaland next only to National Highway 39 when it was under the BRO, to which we had to agree in affirmative. He also said that after service maintenance of the road was carried out throughout the year when it was under the BRO, to which we had to nod our head in agreement. He also pointed out that the sides of the road too were kept well cleaned and there was proper drainage system when it was under the BRO to which we agreed wholeheartedly not only to calm him down but it is the gospel truth.
When the BRO road was handed over to the NPWD after being upgraded to National Highway 155 the road condition instead of improving has deteriorated to such extend that now the National Highway has turned into National HELLWAY, just to travel a stretch of 80 Kms it takes 5 to 6 hours. The condition of the road is so bad that it can’t be compared even to a village road. The 80 Kms of potholes, fishery ponds, swimming pools and terraced fields and jungle road will indeed enter the Limca book of records atleast, if not Guinness book of records. The road has become a jungle road as the sides of the road is covered with hedges, bushes and small trees etc. yes, in some part there are brooks flowing down the road which is a sight to behold.
We have heard that the Chief Minister of Nagaland will attend the proposed roadshow at Tuensang. Our suggestions to those who are manning the road is not to let him travel through the road we have just mentioned or else he too will be shocked like our friend. Instead divert him from the path citing security reason and arrange for a chopper and make it an airshow.
Now, we have all got caffeined by taking caffeinated coffee and our final solution and resolution is to approach the Department of Fisheries, Tourism, Agriculture and Youth resources & sports with the proposal to turn the National HELLWAY ( HIGHWAY) into a productive assets.
AY Chang
St. John sector "A", Tuensang Town
On behalf of coffee drinkers
