Naga Students’ Federation Calls for Action on NH-29 Maintenance Issues
Concerns Over NH-29 Maintenance
File image of dilapidated condition of Dimapur-Kohima stretch of NH-29 (Photo: NHIDCL/Meta)
Dimapur, Sept 15: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has raised serious concerns regarding the poor quality of work, ongoing delays, and lack of proper maintenance on the Dimapur-Kohima section of NH-29. They are urging both the central government and the Nagaland state authorities to dismiss NHIDCL as the project manager and instead assign the task to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) or the state Public Works Department (PWD).
The NSF highlighted that travelers are facing dangerous conditions, especially during the rainy season and at night on this highway.
They reported that numerous accidents have occurred, resulting in fatalities and severe injuries due to rockfalls and other hazards attributed to insufficient safety measures and slope stabilization.
Referring to the Medziphema-Peducha segment, the federation noted that the road is plagued by damaged surfaces, poor drainage, crumbling side structures, inadequate slope protection, and delayed repairs, all of which jeopardize the safety of commuters.
They are demanding an urgent investigation by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways into the management and upkeep of the Dimapur-Kohima project, particularly regarding the issuance of a completion certificate for Package-II work despite ongoing deficiencies and incomplete tasks.
The NSF questioned how the package could be deemed complete when “significant components” remain unfinished and the highway continues to exhibit issues.
Additionally, the federation accused NHIDCL of neglecting necessary repairs and addressing defects, despite the project's five-year defect liability period, pointing to collapsing side walls, poor drainage, inadequate slope protection, damaged road surfaces, and shortcomings in road safety measures.
They criticized the corporation for its lack of preparedness for the monsoon season, which includes insufficient preventive drainage maintenance, slope stabilization, erosion control, retaining structures, and emergency response plans.
Moreover, the NSF mentioned that complaints regarding workmanship, delays, and maintenance have surfaced from various NHIDCL projects throughout the state, including the Kohima Bypass, Kohima-Mao Road, Dimapur Bypass, slope protection works along NH-29, Akash Bridge-Jessami Road (NH-202), and the Peren-Dimapur Section (NH-129A) Packages II and III.