Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has held the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) accountable for the recent road tragedies along National Highway-29, accusing the agency of taking shortcuts in construction that have endangered lives.
After inspecting landslide-affected areas at Paglapahar, Pherima, and Tsiepama Model-Piphema, Rio blamed NHIDCL for the incident near Pherima, which claimed six lives on Tuesday night. He revealed that the state government had filed an FIR against NHIDCL for ignoring project specifications, leading to road sinkage and other disasters.
Rio emphasized that the corporation had bypassed safety protocols, cutting closer to the riverbank instead of the required 40 meters into the mountains. Furthermore, essential safety measures, such as piling and reinforcement, were neglected, aggravating the situation.
Rio highlighted NHIDCL’s negligence in constructing parts of the road over unstable ground, resulting in washed-away sections at Pagla Pahar. He shared his frustration with the corporation’s failure to address warnings and assured that the state government is committed to reopening the road soon.
