Moa Jamir
Nagaland's Riskiest Road Needs Concrete Measures, Not Excuses
On July 5, 2024, another rockslide struck the notorious ‘Pagla Pahar’ stretch of National Highway-29, damaging a vehicle and injuring four occupants. This incident, occurring exactly one year after a previous rockslide claimed two lives and injured three others, raises a critical question: is the NH-29 ‘Pagla Pahar’ stretch the most dangerous road in Nagaland?
The 4-kilometre stretch from Patkai Bridge to New Chümoukedima Junction falls under Package-1 of the ongoing four-laning project of the Dimapur-Kohima Road under SARDP-NE on an EPC basis. According to the NHIDCL website, Package-1 is marked as “Completed C.C (completion certificate) Not issued.” However, rockslides have been a persistent problem, exacerbated since construction began nearly a decade ago. This series of incidents arguably makes it one of the most dangerous roads in Nagaland.
Significant incidents include a rockslide on September 19, 2020, where a family narrowly escaped death as their car was crushed by falling rocks. Another major blockage occurred on September 7, 2020, near the Patkai Bridge, with rockslides reoccurring in October and December that year. On February 2, 2021, an avalanche of rock debris shut down the stretch entirely, injuring three people.
The most tragic event happened on July 4, 2023, when a rockslide claimed two lives and injured three others. This incident raised numerous questions about whether it was an avertable ‘human-made disaster' caused by ‘questionable engineering, poor workmanship, and substandard materials.’
An NHIDCL official attributed the rockslide to a “natural calamity,” and in September 2023, the agency assured more slope protection measures once a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted. In response, the State Government formed a High-Level Technical Committee (HLTC) to investigate the incident. Although the Committee was expected to report back within two weeks, its findings have not been made public.
Following the latest incident, the Public Works Department (National Highway) of Nagaland quickly issued a press communiqué, pointing fingers at the NHIDCL for the recurring rockslides. Nearly a year later, the public learned from this communiqué that the HLTC submitted its recommendations on July 19, 2023. The NHIDCL was directed to implement short-term measures and undertake a comprehensive terrain study to mitigate future risks.
The NPWD also highlighted several initiatives taken by the State Government since July 4, 2023, including State Cabinet interventions to address safety concerns. Incredibly, the Department asserted that, in the ‘interest of public and road safety’ on the Dimapur-Kohima 4-lane of NH-29, the State Government raised the issue with NHIDCL on eighteen occasions from April 11, 2023, to June 19, 2024.
Despite these claims, if one is to take the NPWD at face value, it can also be faulted for not taking definitive action when the NHIDCL evidently neglected its concerns. More importantly, it begs the question: does the State Government's mandate carry any weight with the NHIDCL, and does it lack the necessary mechanisms to hold the agency accountable for non-compliance?
The Nagaland's Deputy Chief Minister and Minister-in-charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highway, TR Zeliang on July 5 and 6 also adopted similar lines.
This raises doubts about whether such statements are genuine efforts to address the issue or merely superficial public relations to troubleshoot a developing circumstance.
The NHIDCL is yet to react to the latest incident. However, given the history of the stretch, blaming nature and offering lip-service assurances should not be the standard operating procedure. While those in power pass the buck, the stretch remains littered with debris, mostly rocks, which breach the safety net and wire wall meant to mitigate falling rocks and landslides. Even the metal guardrails installed in the central divider of the four-lane road have been infringed, and only one side of the four-lane is utilised for commuting.
Instead of pointing fingers, all parties must seek accountability and work together to develop an effective mechanism to tackle this perennial problem. The safety of commuters should not be compromised by a blame game. Robust safety measures must be implemented immediately to ensure that the NH-29 ‘Pagla Pahar’ stretch no longer poses a deadly threat to the people.
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