Senapati, July 22: The Lower Phaibung (Chukhreimai) Village Authority Council, in a press statement, declared the closure of the diversion road of NH-102A (Tadubi–Ukhrul Road) effective July 15, citing non-maintenance and safety concerns for all commuters. The diversion road had been provided by the Lower Phaibung Village Authority as an alternative route after a major landslide completely cut off the existing highway below the village on May 31 and June 1. More than 300 feet of road stretch was affected by the recent landslides during the last bout of torrential rain.
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With no alternative route available, the diversion road was permitted by the Village Authority Council to pass through the middle of the village ground, the Upper Primary School, and the village Baptist Church. The diversion road passing through the only school in the village posed risks to students’ safety due to the severely slippery condition of the road. Students no longer had a proper space to conduct school assemblies, as half of the compound was converted into the diversion road. The landslide also affected residents on top of the hill, where landowners refused to clear the landslide debris for fear of further damage in the future.
It may be noted that the new road cutting was undertaken by NHIDCL in 2024, which was more than 15 feet deeper than the previously proposed alignment. About 70 to 80 vehicles—including local taxis travelling to and from Dimapur, Nagaland, private vehicles, and occasionally six-wheelers carrying essential commodities—used to ply along the route daily. Numerous accidents along the diversion road in the past, due to slippery conditions, led the villagers to completely halt its use for the safety of both travelers and the villagers.
It was stated that NHIDCL, construction project managers, and the Village Authority had earlier agreed to construct retaining walls to prevent landslides before the onset of the monsoon. However, the delay in execution allegedly led to the unfortunate landslide. Villagers also claimed they had asked NHIDCL to fetch “misary” (stone pebbles) from the village river, about 3 km away, to fill the new diversion road until the landslide was cleared. However, no action had been taken as of the filing of this report.
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The Village Chairman stated that he had met the Deputy Commissioner to seek an amicable solution to maintain daily passage. In the absence of a viable alternative, travel along the diversion road through the middle of the village was restricted for safety reasons.
Villagers are demanding that the highway, which has been cut off for nearly two months, be cleared, and that affected families be adequately compensated or the diversion road be reinforced with stone pebbles until the new cutting is cleared. The Village Chairman stated that villagers have been spending sleepless nights whenever a vehicle gets stuck in the middle of the village due to sticky mud and slippery conditions. When a JCB from the construction company is called in, villagers claimed it often worsened the problem by digging deeper when trying to extract stuck vehicles.
On three separate occasions, the villagers had issued notices in Hills Hornbill Express, a local daily, stating that the diversion road passing through the village playground, Upper Primary School, and Baptist Church was closed to all, including villagers, until a new alternative was made. However, no action has been taken so far.
The Village Authority Council appeals to the construction company and the district administration to resolve the issue with the affected landowners and reopen the highway. Despite repeated requests to lay pebbles on the diversion road, the company and NHIDCL have allegedly ignored the pleas, rendering the road unmotorable during rains.
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It is worth mentioning that the new cutting on the existing NH-102A resulted in a massive landslide, which damaged several houses. The landowners’ demand for compensation for damage to their houses was reportedly denied by the district administration and NHIDCL, according to sources from the villagers.
In a bid to find a solution, the district administration and NHIDCL are urged to compensate the affected landowners and either clear the existing highway or lay stone pebbles along the diversion road at Lower Phaibung—from the starting point to the highway—to make it motorable and prevent further vehicle accidents. Several accidents have already occurred on the said diversion road during the month of June.