Moa Jamir
Beyond the longstanding Naga political issue, the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 'journey for peace' to Nagaland from October 27 to 29, 2003, is remembered for two significant milestones: bringing the state onto India's mobile network with the official launch of BSNL services, and announcing the construction of a four-lane highway between Dimapur and Kohima.
According to reports, he made the announcement after experiencing the journey firsthand, travelling along National Highway-29 from Dimapur Airport to Kohima due to unfavourable weather. “Mother Nature wanted me to take the road from Dimapur to Kohima. I was told this is the best road in the state. If this is the best, it's hard to imagine how bad the worst must be," the late Prime Minister then reportedly remarked.
More than two decades later, the project remains incomplete, hindered by both human-made and natural obstacles, with no immediate solution in sight. Currently, one end of the NH-29 s plagued by rockfalls, while the other end has seen vehicular movement restricted for over two weeks. It must be noted here that the project was only approved in 2013 by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), with the foundation stone laid on November 5, 2015, the contracts, split into three packages, were awarded in the latter half of 2016. Had he been alive today, it would have been another notable experience for the late Prime Minister tor travel on the highway as the present condition.
Meanwhile, on August 28, Nagaland's Deputy Chief Minister and Minister-in-Charge of Planning, Transformation, and National Highways, TR Zeliang, outlined several reasons for the delays in the highway project.
Some of these reasons, as attributed to the implementing agency, the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), were rather unusual, such as ‘local customs and religious sentiments’. Other human-related factors cited included delays in providing a clear project site, strikes and bandhs that led to law and order disruptions, utility shifting delays, local work stoppages, poor planning and workforce management by contractors, and the termination or default of contractors, particularly in Package III.
Natural causes were also blamed, including unseasonal and seasonal rains, frequent landslides—especially in the ‘Pagla Pahar’ area—and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a response on August 27, Zeliang also mentioned safety measures purportedly implemented by NHIDCL for the public’s protection along the Pagla Pahar stretch and the entire NH-29.
However, a review of the events, including proceedings from a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) initiated by the Gauhati High Court’s Kohima Bench in 2019, indicates a collective failure by all parties involved in the project. The Pagla Pahar stretch has been especially problematic. The region has long been prone to landslides, a fact known even before the highway's construction began. Tragically, in July 2023, a rockslide claimed two lives and injured three others, raising concerns about whether this was a preventable disaster caused by poor engineering and substandard materials. The failure to account for these hazards during planning points to a lack of foresight and preparedness by the implementing agency.
The proceedings of the PIL also revealed significant issues related to land acquisition, security, and the state's failure to adequately monitor the project. Submissions to the court suggested that if not for judicial intervention, the progress would have been even slower.
The NHIDCL now informed the High Court that around 6,000 cubic metres of rock must be removed from Pagla Pahar to prevent future rockfalls, while new contractors for road works and slopes have been appointed for Package 3. The entire four-lane project is now expected to be completed by September 2025.
Yet, given the history of missed deadlines, scepticism remains, despite recent assurances. This project is emblematic of a broader failure by all parties involved—state and central agencies, contractors, and local communities. While the challenges are undeniable, it is time for all stakeholders to work collectively and ensure that the latest deadline is met, so that the long-promised road can finally serve the people of Nagaland.
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