Aiborlang Nongsiej
Bosco B.Ed College, Dimapur
There is a famous old saying ‘Slow and steady wins the race’. However, this saying is outdated to the present generation. We are living in a digital world with high technology and every individual would do the work as fast as possible through the help of the internet.
If any incident occurs in India, it will take only few minutes to spread all over the world. Things and information are moving faster from place to place due to good transports and good communication. Thus, everyone is conscious about time in any field. A teacher would expect the students to grasp the knowledge as fast as possible when taught in the classroom, or a student would seek help through internet if the lesson taught in the classroom is not clear.
On the other hand, when I look and reflect at the work that is going on at Half Nagarjan Bridge it makes me ponder whether we are living in today’s generation or in the age of ‘slow and steady wins the race’. The bridge is broken and in danger for more than a year, yet, not even ten percent of work is done till date. In fact, for some time vehicles were not allowed to pass through that bridge; only two wheelers and pedestrians were allowed, but because of the several inconveniences caused to the people, the district authority has allowed the light vehicles to pass through that bridge with a warning Notice board ‘Cross at your own risk’.
As a concerned resident of Dimapur, I would like to request the PWD department and the concerned authority to look into this matter seriously. Last winter when the water level was very low, the construction of a new bridge could have been done little faster. At present, the water level is very high and the current of the water is very strong, therefore the work is not progressing much. Having said that, I do not know what the plan of the PWD department is and the estimate time to complete this new bridge. Nevertheless, as a concerned citizen it is my duty to remind the people concerned that people are suffering due to this broken bridge and they have to risk their own life to cross the bridge especially during rainy season when the river is dangerous.
Some people I have talked to say every time they cross the bridge, they feel the end of life is coming. Interestingly, one said, “When I cross the bridge my body shivers out of fear yet I have to risk my life in order to reach my destination faster.” Hence, how long should we wait for the completion of the new bridge? We cannot play on with the life and death of the people.
It is also very interesting that the bridge was already in danger before the 13th State election where many politicians went around canvassing for a change. Yet, this change has not taken place till date except the change of ruling party from NPF to NDPP. Moreover, the ruling government has placed their placards in different parts of the state with an attractive sentence, ‘Vote for Change, Change is coming’.
Nevertheless, till date we do not see any change taking place in the state except the suffering of the people due to natural calamities. Half Nagarjan Bridge is one of the bypasses where heavy traffic jam can be avoided in the town, but sad to say that for more than one year nothing is progressing. Therefore, I do not know when we will be able to travel on a new bridge, if the construction goes on at the current speed.
Let us not forget that the bridge is a connection between many villages and the main town of Dimapur. It is because of this broken bridge that heavy traffic jam is always happening in the town. Moreover, the bridge does a lot of service to the students of Greenwood School who are from the other side of the river.
We just finished the celebration of Independence Day of our country; however, citizens are not really in freedom whenever they cross the bridge. In fact, they have to cross it at their own risk with fear and anxiety. Having stated that, I do not mean to speak against the Independence Day celebration of our country instead I just want to remind the concerned authority to take the matter seriously.
Lastly, we expect that the government should take this issue earnestly and fulfill whatever they have promised to the people during the election campaign – bring good changes in Nagaland for they said change is coming.
