Condition of several roads in Dimapur are getting worse day by day and no repairs or maintenance are being done till now. One clear evidence of technical neglect is the absence of road side drainage or even if there were some, they do not serve the purpose. Recent downpours have only hastened the deterioration where pot holes have become bigger to the extent that motorists have to zig-zag in order to avoid them.
Stretches of roads in Dimapur- GS Road, Dhobinala area, Forest Colony area, Marwari Patti, Eros Lane area (near Blue Hill station), the road leading to new flyover, Naga Shopping Arcade area, etc- are some where pot holes are becoming evident. Several residents who spoke to this Reporter, complained that water logging was causing more damage. Among the worst was the stretch of the GS Road, at the centre of the city. A ride on the gravelled road is bumpy and during dry days, dusty. Motorists trying to avoid pot holes are often compelled to ignore traffic rules which also poses a hazard.
Residents near Super Market (Naga Shopping Arcade) also complained that the road has deteriorated due lack of proper drains. Dimapur’s best road, the stretch from Dillai check gate, through Duncan Colony to Dhobinalla, constructed during 2001-02 and which had survived the onslaught of weather and wear and tear and lack of roadside drainage; has begun to develop pot holes since a year or two.
When contacted officials of PWD roads and bridges (R&B), claimed that the department, during the past three years, has been undertaking repair, reconstruction, upgradation and construction of 32 roads and bridges in and around Dimapur.
They threw in statistics such as taking up of 29 projects in the past three weeks comprising of roads and four bridges. While most road construction and repairing works were complete, some are ongoing, they added.
The officials said the bailey bridge at 4th Mile connecting Nuiland had been completed, while the RCC bridge over river Dhansiri at Nagarjan would soon be completed. They admitted that though the department had set May 2020 as the completion date, COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down the progress as there was shortage of manpower and construction materials.
When asked about the bridge in Super Market area connecting Purana Bazar, officials said that department of urban development was in charge of the bridge.
The officials further requested residents to approach PWD (R&B) without any hesitation in case of any complaint over roads under its jurisdiction for rectification.
It was also pointed out that all roads in Dimapur were not under the jurisdiction of PWD (R&B) such as – national highway from Dillai to Dhobinala Road. They said Marwari Patti area, was under the jurisdiction of PWD (NH). There are also all roads maintained by urban local bodies (colony roads) like East Dimapur, Duncan Basti, Oriental Colony, etc, which are under the jurisdiction of Urban Development department.
On the other hand, PWD (NH) officials claimed that maintenance of road (filling up of potholes) from Hotel Tragopan point to Dhobinalla was carried out twice during in May and June, including the road from Dhobinalla to Dilai gate. They maintained that major developmental work could not be carried out due to lack of funds.
They said regional officer of Union Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways, Guwahati, visited Dimapur on September 5 to inspect roads, during which asked PWD (NH) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR).
The regional officer also asked the department to prepare DPRs for black topping the road from Dilai gate to Dhobinalla and for cemented pavement for Dhobinalla till new flyover.