Excavators at work on the washed-out section of National Highway-2 near Kisama Exit Gate under Phesama village, damaged in the first week of June 2025. (Morung File Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | November 20
In yet another round of updates on the long-delayed construction of the Kohima–Mao Gate road project on National Highway-2, the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, was informed that there may soon be not one, but two roads connecting Kohima to Manipur.
An official of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) informed the Division Bench of Justices Michael Zothankhuma and Yarenjungla Longkumer on November 19 that an alternative road is under consideration and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared.
Thereafter, land will be acquired for the new route, and once completed, there will be two roads linking Kohima to Senapati, Manipur, the official added.
Meanwhile, outlining the current state of the 26.7-kilometre Kohima–Mao Gate road, the NHIDCL General Manager stated that the sinking area and the landslide near Kisama have been addressed, but only in a temporary capacity. He added that the fix “should hold up for some time,” though he admitted that no one can say for how long.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen these troubled stretches, assigning KAJ Pvt. Limited to prepare a DPR, with completion expected by April 2026. Once the DPR is approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), the work will go to tender, he added.
After hearing the submissions, the Court directed all respondents to file affidavits within two weeks, specifying adherence to MORTH’s construction specifications and submitting status reports on completed sections tested by the SDO (Civil), Jakhama. The matter has been listed next on December 10.
Meanwhile, in the PIL concerning the NH-29 Dimapur–Kohima four-lane project, the Nagaland Additional Advocate General once again sought more time to file the affidavit, in line with the Court’s previous direction, the matter has now been listed for November 26.
