Mhathung Ngullie
A DIPR Feature
New roads have transformed the once-sleepy hamlets that dot the hillsides into hubs of enterprise. For a long time, farmers used to haul their fruit and vegetables across the rugged hillsides to reach the nearest truck stop point, but now they stack their agriculture and allied outputs alongside the newly constructed connected roads that run right by their fields. Mobility is indeed the key to opening up new opportunities in rural sector .A new vitality is now palpable in most of the remote hamlets that have been linked to main roads through the initiatives of the State Government funded by the Central Ministry, Govt. of India such as Ministry of shipping & road Transport & Highways (Road transport Department (MORTH), Ministry of North Eastern Region (MDONER), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Ministry of Rural Development (MRD). The schemes, which have been bridging the gap to the people of the state, are NREGA, PMGSY/BHARAT NIRMAN and other projects.
Wherever the rural road network has come, the rural economy and quality of life of the inhabitants have improved. Instead of hindering developmental activities, public as well as the landowners should give support to the government with proper understanding through the administration or officer in- charge, to carry forward the developmental activities. Lakhs of rural people in Nagaland are pleased with extra earnings after newly roads were executed in the districts. Moreover, their produces do not perish due to want of transportation facilities.
According to Annual Report of 2007-08 the department of PWD under the govt. of Nagaland has taken the initiative to look after the construction and maintenance of road network in the state with total roads covering 10,240.60 km including National Highways, State Highways, Major District roads, other District roads and village approach roads. Earlier, during the rainy season, the narrow dirt track would get slippery with mud and slush in some part or area. Covering a distance of 469.00 km with 7 Nos of new connectivity and 22 Nos. existing road up-gradation under the ministry of Rural Development during the year 2007-08, it would certainly bring smiles to the people specially the farmers where they can at least access timely medical attention.
Villages, now lying along the roads have also experienced a phenomenal change. The state Agriculture Department has constructed about 50 Nos. of agri-link roads, because of which organic produces and backyard cultivated fruits could reach markets like APMC while the rest would perish in the fields for want of carriage or mules. Consumers are expecting varieties of production from the farmers in the forthcoming 2nd North East Agri-Expo, to be held at Expo Site, 4th mile, Dimapur, in the month of November or December, 2009. More road connectivity in the state has motivated the farmers to go for large-scale production, thus generating higher income and eradicating poverty in the long run.
Easy accessibility has also made it convenient for family members to visit each other more frequently. This is especially important for remote communities who are far off from the mainstream. Multiple education choices have also opened up for the newly connected villages. Students are now not only getting enough time to study before they leave for school but they can also go to the nearest town to pursue higher education.
One of the major challenges is to involve the communities and take into consideration the environment and social concerns in the mapping of roads. This requires a lot of interaction between the concerned engineer and the community and calls for a change of the mindset of the engineer to be more inclusive in the designing and implementation of the roads project. The World Bank extends financial and technical support focusing on the following areas.
• Building management and planning of the State Govt. and construction of roads and industries.
• Improving participation planning.
• Managing environment concerns associated with infrastructure projects, improving transparency and accountability throughout the process.
A lot of developmental works will be enhanced if the public in general extends support and co-operation to the Government in maintaining the newly constructed roads and have the mindset to take it as their own property.
