Roads are meant for communication and it also communicates the social behavior and attitude of people. We all know that the BRO undertake the national highway road repairing and management, but the BROs do not own our roads. We have every right to develop the road be it in the colonies, town or highways.
As a frequent commuter between Zubza and Kohima, I come across a lot of happenings on the highway. Since 2009 there has been no proper road constructed on this deserted road. It is one of the most widely used, but the most neglected one. The road between Kohima and Zubza is usually termed as sinking zone, garbage zone. Truly it is garbage and nobody wants to clean the mess. If I have to give a name for this road, it would be “Disappointment Road.”
Prior to the coming of monsoon, there use to be traffic snarls after every 5 PM. As monsoon arrived the road went from bad to worse, so the traffic congestion does. The usual traffic congestion takes place in these locations: one below the NHK, where the road is eroding away, due to drainage blockade, landslide and building of unhealthy constructions. Second is below Avilie’s Petrol Pump and third near the old KMC dumping pit where there was a major landslide once. As the Lorries wait for 5:30 PM to be released, the light vehicles either coming from Dimapur or Kohima will come in two lines and block the whole road. It is for a motorcyclist to pass through. This vividly depicts the impulsive behavior and illiterate attitude of our people towards road rules. Not even a single, humble and understanding driver would choose to give way to the upcoming vehicles first, the same with the down going drivers, they would push it to the last inch of gap.
The distance between Zubza and Kohima is only 15 kms, but there is not a single day that the road is left with no trucks stranded on the wayside. If the road is good, it takes 20 minutes to reach kohima, but normally now it takes 50 minutes and if there are traffic jams it can stretch to hours. Several times, the potholed road is left untouched for weeks, mostly over loaded trucks fall prey to these evil potholed and sinking road. This directly exemplifies the apathy of our leaders meted towards the need of the public and we in general lack the will and courage to fight for our rights. It has become like the talk for our freedom, everyone is talking about it but nobody dares to fight for it.
The Stone Quarrying at the river Dzüza, there were times when the police comes and seized their tools for illegal quarrying. But it is not illegal anymore after several times of appearance in the court and jail, the Police and the administration authority seems to have given up. The bridge over the river Dzüza, several times appears with pointed rods, but immediately the BROs filled with mud and mud. Mud is the only solution, what they have is only mud. When it rains it is muddy and greasy, when there’s sunshine it is dusty. Oh’ my gosh when will we have a proper road, build with boulders and tar, with clear demarcations of right and left.
Another harmful habit is the truckers who leave boulders in the place where they use for braking loaded Lorries; it is like a landmine for low clearance cars and motorcycles. I was victimized several times by those mines. It seems like the BROs have no knowledge about low cars, they only build and repair roads for trucks and SUVs.
Every now and then one will find, plastic bags lying here and there, littered bottles and beer cans rolling across the road. These hazardous habits are committed by careless travelers who have the habit of throwing everything from the window.
Not only the road between Kohima and Zubza is bad, in Nagaland the road is bad everywhere. The worst of all is people still have courage to wade through those muddy roads with nice shoes and cork heels. For once, I am representing many tired citizens who are all out disappointed against the system. Where do we find motivation to address our grievances and who in the world will listen to our cry of helplessness? Where is the 5% money of every new registered vehicle, deducted by the Transport office, which is partially meant for road maintenance? Every time I travel on this road, I feel like I am on the road to all disappointments.
Villo Naleo villonaleo@gmail.com
