Students walk past the completely collapsed stretch of National Highway-2 near the Kisama exit gate, under Phesama village area, on June 2. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | June 4
Expressing concern over the prolonged delay in completing the National Highway-2 Kohima-Mao Road project, the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench (GHCKB), on April 5, had directed the NHIDCL for submission of an affidavit affirming that the remaining stretch of the highway would be completed by May 31, “unless prevented by Act of God.”
The subsequent proceedings of the suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on June 4 indeed indicated that the ‘Act of God’ came to the rescue of the agency as well as the contractor, if one goes by the submission made in the Court.
As per the submissions, the contractor has completed 56.25% of the work. Blacktopping with Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) has been completed over the Wet Mix Macadam (WMM) layer, except at two locations affecting a length of approximately 300 metres in the complete road stretch, which could not be done “due to early monsoon in the area.”
However, the complete stretch is motorable and in good traffic-worthy condition, the submissions maintained.
It was further stressed that the works could not be completed by the contractor due to “unseasonal rains and early monsoon affecting the area.”
Citing details of daily rainfall data acquired from the Meteorological Observatory, Kohima, the contractor stated that it rained for five days in March, 12 days in April, and 21 days in May.
Bituminous works were affected not only on the rainy days but also for 1–2 consecutive days after the rainfall, as works cannot be carried out during unfavourable weather conditions and damp road conditions, it said.
Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall, a section of the road, approximately 100 metres in length, has been completely washed out near the Kisama exit gate, under Phesama village area.
The subsidence was triggered due to heavy rainfall in the region, amalgamated with a series of post-impact earthquake tremors reported in the early hours of May 28 that shook the northeastern parts of India, including Nagaland, it added.
A major road subsidence on the stretch occurred on June 1 and it collapsed totally the next day , cutting a major link to some areas in Nagaland as well as the State of Manipur.
Meanwhile, the counsel for the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) informed that an expert committee has been proposed to be set up at the earliest concerning the total collapse of the road near the Kisama exit gate.
Stating that the committee will examine and submit the proposal as to what measures can be undertaken to restore the washed-out stretch of the road, the counsel sought three weeks’ time to place the expert committee proposal before the Court.
Taking note, the Division Bench of Justice Kakheto Sema and Justice Yarenjungla Longkumer granted the requested time, directing NHIDCL to submit the expert committee’s proposal in the form of an affidavit.
Whether the rains and tremors genuinely hindered progress or simply provided a timely alibi is up for interpretation. But for now, it seems, it was prevented by “Act of God.”
