Kohima, October 18: The landslide of Kohima-Dimapur road along the NH-39 is yet to be cleared till this evening at around 5.A major landslide which occurred at a place called Lalmati, some 16 km from Kohima has been disrupting traffic plying along NH-39 for the past three days.

Incessant rain for the past few days has been creating havoc in Nagaland with the capital town remaining cut off for the second day due to major landslide along the National Highway 39 in between Kohima and Dimapur.

Official sources revealed that major landslide at a place called Lalmatti, some 16 kms from Kohima occurred at around 5 am on Tuesday totally disrupting highway traffic along the route.

Though light vehicles have been managing to make way through bye-pass from Kiruphema, Mezoma village and Sechu-Zubza to reach Kohima, all goods carrier and other heavy vehicles including paramilitary convoy and passenger buses to and fro Kohima have been stranded for last two-days.

Col.Sunil Kumar, Commandant 15th Border Road Task Force (BRTF) said that with the help of 15 BRTF personnel, two bull-dozers and a JVC they had managed to clear the road on Tuesday night.

But an army convoy truck got stuck in the mud after some vehicles had managed to cross the area on the same day.

The BRTF personnel have been put to work round the clock.

Col.Sunil expressed hope that if rain do not play spoilsports, the highway would be cleared at the earliest.

Expressing that Kohima has recorded highest rainfall upto 155 mm for the first time in the month of October during the last 20 years, he lamented that the main cause of landslide was due to rampant stone carving in the mountainous area.

Col.Sunil revealed that they had not managed to clear the debris as the land-slide continued because of the rain.

However, he was hopeful that it would be cleared by this evening itself.

More than 500 goods and passengers loaded vehicles are stranded on both sides of the area while passengers from either side have no option but to walk on foot a stretch of around half-a-kilometer to change vehicle.

Taxis are reportedly doing a brisk business as they are charging upto Rs 100 per head to drop till the landslide area.

Mainly trucks loaded with vegetables and other essential commodities bound for other parts of State and Manipur State are caught in the landslide.

Meanwhile, prices of essential commodities are likely to reach sky-high not only in Kohima but the neighbouring State Manipur would also be affected, as the NH-39 is the main lifeline for the State.

It is learnt that the dealers of essential commodities in Kohima taking advantage of the situation have already raised the prices and even hiding goods to hike the prices.

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