Highways cut off, supply lines snapped
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 09 2017: Landslides and sinking of road surface have cut off both Imphal-Dimapur highway and Imphal-Jiribam highway thereby posing a threat to transportation of goods including essential commodi-ties to the State.

It is reported that Imphal-Dimapur highway has been cut off at three different points in Nagaland while around 200 metres long stretch of Imphal-Jiribam highway sank between T Laijang and Sinam villages .

Sources informed that Imphal-Dimapur highway sank at Lalmati, Zubza and near Kohima Naga Hospital following landslides.

All the sunk portions are around 100 feet long .

Highways cut off, supply lines snapped

The hill-slopes started caving in this morning one after another which led to sinking of the highway.

Apart from loaded trucks, empty trucks too can no longer travel along the highway .

With Imphal-Dimapur highway cut off at three different places, hundreds of Imphal-bound trucks carrying essential commodities and oil tankers have been stranded .

It is reported that restoration of the three sunk highway portions may take not less than seven days .

Meanwhile, movement along Imphal-Jiribam highway too has been rendered impossible after around 200 feet of the highway sank following landslide between T Laijang and Sinam villages .

Consequent upon heavy downpour last night, a large cracked appeared on the highway this morning and it started caving in.

However, there is no report of any casualty .

As this reporter went to the spot, the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) was seen repairing the sunk portion using an excavator .

It appeared unlikely that the sunk portion can be repaired and made fit for heavy vehicles in the next couple of days.

Nonetheless, light vehicles were allowed to move across the sunk portion in the evening after it was partially repaired.

But loaded trucks and empty trucks remained stranded on either side of the sunk portion which is located about 20 Kms from Keithel- manbi.

Large cracks were also seen at some other places along the same highway.

Even though earths sliding or falling from hill-slopes were seen being cleared using two excavators, water gushing down from hills were seen flowing above the highway surface at different places where road-side drains were absent or not working.

It is feared that the cracked portions may cave in if there is any further heavy downpour.