The NHIDCL technical team at the site where a rockslide occurred on July 4 killing two and injuring 3 others on the Chümoukedima stretch of the NH 29. During the visit on July 6, an NHIDCL official attributed the incident to ‘natural calamity’ and not the fault of the agency. (Morung Photo).
DIMAPUR, JULY 6 (MExN): The Deputy Commissioner of Chümoukedima, Abhinav Shivam, IAS has shot off a letter to the Commissioner and Secretary, Works and Housing (Works Branch) refuting the claims made by the NHIDCL with regard to the July 4 accident at NH 29.
The DC in a report, which circulated on social media on July 6, said that prima facie, “it appears that the claims made in the press release might not be accurate.”
He informed that the unique geology of Nagaland is not a sudden discovery and that special attributes of the geology must have had been taken into consideration during the planning and implementation stage. The DC said that his office was not satisfied by the safety measures undertaken by the NHIDCL during a joint survey conducted in March. He informed that the DC’s office had requested the office of the GM (P) NHIDCL, Dimapur, to submit the technical details and specifications to understand the methods adopted for rock fall mitigation and slope protection along with the other issues on the said highway.
However, the DC said that the details were denied. He pointed out that the Ministry of Railways too is executing land cutting works in the same region without reports of such mishaps.
According to the DC, the slope protection measures as claimed by the NHIDCL needs to be cross checked with the approved technical details of the project. He maintained, “No slope protection mechanism was present at the location of the unfortunate incident.” The NHIDCL had also claimed that the location of tragedy had remained stable since 2019-20. However, the DC said that this claim needs to be verified and cross checked given the instances of rock falls reported on that stretch in the past one year.
While the attention was centered at the location of the accident, he held that heavy mud fall at another location i.e. chainage KM 124.500, could well have stopped the traffic, thereby endangering the commuters to the falling rocks.
The DC further challenged the claim of the NHIDCL that work was in progress to clear the mud slide. While claiming video evidence, the DC maintained that no machine was found at KM 124.500, as late as 6:59 pm on July 4 and none was there till about 9:00 am, July 5, to clear the mud slide.
According to the DC, an enquiry committee must be constituted to investigate into the facts of the matter that led to the fatal accident and another to cross examine the claims made by the NHIDCL.
Related News:
-Rockslide on Dimapur-Kohima NH 29 kills 2, 3 wounded
-NH 29 Rockslide: NHIDCL ‘snubbed’ NPCB
-NH 29 Rockslide: Survey points to 'man-made disaster'
-NH 29 Rockslide: ‘Questionable engineering, poor workmanship, substandard materials’
-July 4 incident was a natural calamity: NHIDCL Head
