The National People’s Youth Front alleges unsafe retaining wall work on the VK Town–Doyang road and seeks urgent inspection by authorities.
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DIMAPUR — Alleging gross negligence and compromise on public safety, the Nagaland unit of National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) has flagged serious irregularities in ongoing road construction between VK Town and Doyang Bridge.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the youth wing stated that its members, during an unofficial visit to Mokokchung, were “shocked and dismayed” by the condition of retaining walls being constructed along the stretch.
According to the NPYF, the “plum concrete walls” appeared more like dry stone stacking, lacking the engineering integrity required for such a landslide-prone terrain.
It claimed to have collected photographic and videographic evidence showing loose stone arrangements with inadequate concrete binding, which fall far short of “basic engineering standards.”
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Instead of a solid, load-bearing structure capable of withstanding hill pressure, the walls were allegedly built with stones touching each other and without sufficient concrete matrix.
Citing standard norms, the NPYF stated that plum concrete requires a mass concrete base—typically M10 or M15 grade—in which large, clean stones are properly embedded, ensuring at least 150 mm of concrete separation between stones to form a dense, void-free structure.
“The work observed on the VK Town–Doyang stretch appears to lack this essential concrete matrix, rendering it structurally weak,” it stated.
Warning that the substandard work could turn into a “disaster waiting to happen,” the NPYF cautioned that the retaining walls may not withstand monsoon rains, increasing the risk of collapse, landslides and disruption of vital road connectivity in the region.
The youth body urged the Public Works department (National Highways) to immediately inspect the ongoing works, identify and make public the contractor responsible, and order demolition and reconstruction of the defective portions as per engineering codes.
It also called for strict punitive action against those responsible for compromising public safety.
Stating that it would not remain a “silent spectator to developmental sabotage,” the NPYF appealed to the authorities to act swiftly to avert any potential tragedy.