Vishü Rita Krocha
The monsoon season might be coming to an end, but the impact it has left us all with, comes as a grim reminder of how well we manage our towns and dwelling places. Year after year, our deplorable road condition has been a recurrent complaint of the citizens. There are potholes wherever one drives to- whether one is headed to his/her workplace or going home; whether he/she is travelling through the interiors of our rural villages or passing through the so-called towns in the state.
Our roads are at its worst this time of the year. It has been especially tragic this year following the devastation caused by landslides everywhere across the state. Let alone the privileged lot who have access to vehicles and other means of transportation to reach them to their destinations, the other sufferers are the poor pedestrians who have to walk their way to school, college, workplace or walk back home.
The deplorable conditions of our roads need no further explanation because everyone has had their rides or walked along numerous potholes with dirt spread all over the street, looking highly undesirable but at the same time, unavoidable if one is to get things done. This has been the state of affairs every monsoon and beyond. We have endured the worst of roads. We have resented against it, we have blamed the government, but all the same, we have dreamt of better roads.
The irony is that we claim to be living in the 21st Century, the so called modern world with modern equipments. The emphasis is on technological knowledge so we can also be at par with the world that is in constant transition. We are connected to the world outside through the internet. We own mobile phones, we have the latest handsets, and gadgets, we keep track of them; we buy motor vehicles, not just for necessity but because it’s also pretty, luxurious and expensive. We dress like modern men and women.
By these definitions, we are indeed modern people living in the modern world. But the sight of our road highly disappoints. We have naturally blessed scenic landscapes. Everywhere we go in the confines of our state, we have no dearth of natural beauty. It’s like a readymade attraction for tourism.
But in a way, the rugged roads also define our sense of development. It is truly exemplified during the rainy season, when all the dirt emerges on the surface of the road. One can easily compare the sight of it to a river, especially after a heavy rain. And it also testifies to our lack of civic sense because that’s when all the remains of our garbage also make a show.
One important thing that is certainly not in place is our drainages, or in most cases, the lack of it. There isn’t much point in constructing newer routes and roads, or even repairing them over and over again until and unless we have a good drainage system guarding it. Perhaps our roads are not built the way it should be built but the lack of proper drainage system definitely adds to the woes of our poor road condition.
If, and only if this is given due attention, then maybe we can start anticipating better roads in Nagaland.
This is a guest editorial by Vishü Rita Krocha. She is the Publisher of PenThrill Publication and a senior journalist based in Kohima.
