The Angami Youth Organization (AYO) has sought the attention
of Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang over the deteriorating condition of
National Highway-29. The highway loops across Dimapur to Kohima through to
Khuzama.
In a representation to the chief minister on Friday, June 17, the AYO and its constituents pointed out that national highways passing through Nagaland, particularly NH-29, ‘invariably serve as the lifeline/route for the state.’
However, they maintained, “While the quality upkeep condition of this road as well as all other artery roads are imperative for the well being of all, it is very unfortunate that the persistent deplorable condition of the Highway and other roads in and around the state have become a perpetual matter attracting unprecedented criticism from all sections of the society against the legal guardians and authorities of the roads, i.e., the BRO/BRTF and the state government.”
“While the original status of the road (NH-29), the designs and grading executed during the colonial rule were done with excellent engineering works, this highway on the fringes of the country, from post independent era to till date, definitely and literally never got its base, size and strength altered/ modified nor improved to the standard befitting a NH, that could cater and withstand the increasing volume/ weight/ force and pressure of vehicles on them as we experience today,” the organizations stated.
They maintained that there were several factors contributing to the woes of the highway such as implementation of policies and rules to ground work execution, unstable natural terrain, being decrepit, socio-ethnic matters etc. However, the organizations stated, the one major factor responsible for the damage to the roads was the heavy vehicles plying on them ‘beyond sustainable weights and pressures which the existing highway/roads could withstand.’
The youths also expressed serious concern over the ever increasing number of heavy vehicles plying on this small vulnerable highway, even the 10-18 wheeler trucks, ferrying goods weighing to the volume of more than 40 tons.
Such weight, they pointed out, will not be permissible under established rules, but in the context of Nagaland it has become a regular sight, running and ruining the life of the roads prematurely.
The organizations also mentioned that while rules of providing a specific time period for entry of heavy vehicles into the town/city areas are being enforced, they seem to pose a number of threats and negative effects to the inhabitants, particularly to people and commuters living on the fringes of the towns and highways starting from Khuzama village to Dimapur.
“These vehicles on being halted get queued up on the highways, in numbers running to 100 plus, cloaking the entry and exit routes, accumulate and creates pollutions, one being released, they floods into the narrow hairpin highway running at an impermissible speed covering the entire road resulting in a number of accidents. Unwarranted incidents and fatal accidents are on the rise and are bound to produce unhealthy social situations if remedial measures are not being initiated as the earliest,” they stated.
Stating that the organization will have no issue on those matters as long as the concerned authorities and departments effectively monitored the situations, however, they lamented, no legal rules or conditions were found to have been notified/ enforced/ imposed to contain the problems nor is there any initiative from the authorities to rehabilitate the physical and impacting damages caused.
In the light of the above, the AYO and its four constituent units put forward to the Chief Minister several points of “immediate demand” including enforcement of provisions/machinery to weigh and check vehicle loads; vehicles designed not suitable/hazardous to ply our terrain be barred entry, particularly heavy vehicles running on more than 12 wheels; Designated parking slots/areas with basic amenities be created to house heavy vehicles, to control pollutions and other contaminations; ensure and detail security personnel to escort and control the movement/ speed of heavy vehicles crossing the state, especially trucks/ tankers plying down from Manipur towards Dimapur; Entry time for Inter-State heavy vehicles (goods carriers) be scheduled to 7 pm-7 pm; and Heavy vehicles stranded on the highway, particularly at Peducha Gate and Reserve Gate Phesama, owing to the Entry Time Rule, be resized and their stationing locations be reallocated.
(Al Ngullie, June 17, 2016; Eastern Mirror)
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