NH-2: Bad roads take a toll on vehicles, commuters

July 2, 2022 60 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | July 2

Commuting to and fro in the National Highway (NH) 2 from Khuzama to Kigwema and Phesama stretches continue to take a toll on commuters on a daily basis.

The heavily ‘ploughed’ road due to incessant rainfall and poor maintenance has telling effects on commuters and vehicles with potholes and ditches, roadblocks caused by stationed heavy vehicles and widely dug culverts, posing constant threats.

Atso, a commuter, informed that it took him almost 5 hours just to traverse around 30 kilometres from Kohima to Mao gate, and termed the journey ‘agonising.’

One of the chief reasons, he cited was frequent halting between stretches as heavy vehicles alongside highways make it difficult for two-way crossing.

Others reasons were unattended widely dug culverts and potholes, ditches and sinking stretches.

Similar experiences were also shared by several commuters, especially those traversing on a daily basis.

The Khuzama Students Care Union (KSCU) informed that students from the village are hapless and compelled to leave early morning to attend classes in the neighbouring villages.

“Just within 1 kilometre stretch between Khuzama and Viswema Village, there are 6-7 culverts and to and fro crossing is hampered thereby causing jam every day,” a student leader informed.

However, much to the agony of more than 50 students from the village, nothing can be done.

The Superintendent of Police, Kohima had earlier issued an order in July this year restricting the entry of heavy vehicles from Khuzama Inter-state Police Check Gate from 7 am-7 pm to ease traffic movement.

In view of the restriction, heavy vehicles halts along the highway stretch between the timing often causing roadblocks for other vehicles. However, the road stretch also remains one of the main lifelines for the people of Manipur.

A Viswema villager said there are people who have to commute daily to work, attend medical emergencies, conduct business etc but the condition in the highway has taken its worst shape since the past 2-3 months.

Stating that the culverts were very irksome, the villager stated that the authority undertaking work should complete one portion and proceed to other parts than leaving it incomplete, causing trouble to vehicles and commuters.

Meanwhile, Rajeev Agarwal, the General Manager National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation) Jakhama while commenting on the incomplete culverts said the Authority is trying to complete the culverts and added that no new culverts will be dug until weather is suitable.

An ultimatum issued to the NHIDCL by the Southern Angami Youth Organisation, a youth body representing 13 villages of the region and lying in the NH 2 jurisdiction in February this year suggested that the stretch of the road have been neglected for an extended period.

The ultimatum recalled that “the repairing work and construction of roads were being undertaken in the month of November, 2021, just before the annual International Hornbill Festival. But the preceding stretch was halted after the event commenced and till date no work was sighted further.”

The road condition later took cognizance of the Judiciary when the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench filed a Public Interest Litigation (Sou Moto) against parties including the NHIDCL, the M/S Fortune Group among others in March, 2022.

The NHIDCL, Jakhama General Manager in this regard assured that work is going on and the company is putting in the best efforts.

“We are increasing all the resources including manpower and machineries. Infact we are doing it on war-footing by continuing with the maintenance and works. We want to keep it in a good state so that people don’t face too many difficulties,” he further informed.

According to NHIDCL, “the road work will go on as per the time schedule and will continue till the end of March next year.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nh-2-bad-roads-take-a-toll-on-vehicles-commuters