Villagers allege dodgy works as landslide fear grow
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, June 14 2025: Concerns are mounting amongst villagers along the NH-102A route between Halang and Hoomi after recent heavy, rainfall triggered multiple land slides, partially blocking the vital road at various locations.

Residents are pointing fingers at the ongoing construction of the Ukhrul-Tolloi-Tadubi road, alleging shoddy workmanship and a lack of necessary safety measures.

Locals claim the double laning of the road, which is intended to improve connectivity in the region, is being carried out with significant irregularities, including a failure to properly bench cut the hillside slopes, which should stabilise the soil, and substandard black-topping that is already showing signs of degradation.

Villagers allege dodgy works as landslide fear grow

The concerns came to light when a team of journalists from Ukhrul conducted an independent survey of the stretch from Ukhrul to the Ngari River spanning about 50 km on Saturday.

Daniel Kashung, an elder from Hoomi Vokngayar village, told the media that his village has been plagued by landslides following the recent downpours, stating: "We've already seen multiple landslides along the road in our village" .

''Blacktopping is done in some portions, but it's already coming apart.

It's just not up to the mark", he noted and also expressed concerns about the road's alignment in certain areas.

Noting that such developments happen once in a lifetime, Kashung urged the authorities concerned to sort out issues before the construction is declared complete.

Vokngayar Development Committee joint secretary Woreingam Zingkhai echoed these sentiments, stating that: "The monsoon hasn't even started yet, and we re already dealing with landslides due to improper earth cutting." He said that the agencies engaged in the construction do not seem bothered with providing proper benching which is responsible for the multiple landslides.

"We request the authorities concerned to investigate and rectify this before the onset of monsoon rains," he added.

Similar concerns were raised by locals of Talui village with resident Wungnaopam Rungsung highlighting hardships of the public due to multiple landslides that occurred between Halang and Talui during the recent heavy rainfall.

"The lack of bench cutting is the reason for these landslides.

While benching is essential to stabilise the soil, what we got here is vertical cuttings without any benches in most places," he rued.

Rungsung cautioned that once the monsoon hits, there would be even more landslide problems due to improper cutting of the hill slopes and urged the authorities to oversee the works and take up necessary measures to ensure quality in the construction.

During the survey, it was discovered that significant portions of the steep hillside lack any benching at all.

In some locations, retaining walls showed signs of cracking under the pressure of landslide debris.

Meanwhile, travellers along the route related that the highway is currently blocked by fallen rocks near Tungjoy village in Senapati district.

They are forced to divert through the village while the rocks remain uncleared, as of Saturday.

Residents are calling on the relevant authorities to urgently investigate the alleged irregularities and take immediate action to rectify the situation.

They fear that unless these issues are addressed swiftly, the new road will be plagued by landslides and pose a serious safety risk to commuters.

The ongoing double-lane construction of the highway connecting Ukhrul to Senapati and beyond is being implemented by the NHIDCL .