Same stretch of the highway was damaged by monsoon rains last year; took nearly three months for authorities to restore
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Restoration works in progress after a portion of NH-29 near the old KMC old dumping site in Jotosoma was submerged almost 2 metres deep on Thursday morning. (EM Images)[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 4 (EMN): Hundreds of vehicles, including goods trucks from Dimapur to Manipur, were left stranded for the entire day on July 4, after a stretch of National Highway-29 near the old KMC dumping site, Jotsoma submerged and sank nearly two metres deep in the morning.
Officials were hoping to complete the restoration works by Thursday night and open the road to traffic.
Around 15 metres of the road had sunk at the old KMC dumping site on Thursday morning, said Vikeshe Yepthomi, Executive Engineer, Public Works department (NH) Kohima division, who was inspecting the site.
He said that after heavy downpour on Tuesday, another stretch of the road had submerged. The department had to deploy machineries on Wednesday and was able to restore the road on the same day, he said.
A truck coming from Dimapur was said to have been stuck in the sinking area blocking other vehicles from plying since morning. With the help of the police recovery vehicle and machineries, the truck was pulled out of the ditch, allowing of restoration works, Yepthomi added.
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Hundreds of vehicles stranded for the entire day. (EM Images)[/caption]
“We are trying our best, provided the weather permits us. If the weather does not hamper us, it is likely to open by tonight, but it depends on the weather,” Yepthomi said earlier in the day.
Sufficient manpower and machineries have been deployed at the spot, he added. Department officials including the commissioner secretary and the chief engineer have inspected the area as well.
“Though we are still on the job, the work is getting difficult with the nightfall and I don’t think we’ll be able to open anytime soon tonight (Thursday),” he said when another call was made later in the night. The official added that hume pipes were also being laid as well.
Once the road is restored, lighter vehicles will be allowed to ply. ‘We will have to see if heavy vehicles will be able to pass through,’ official said.
Vehicles headed from Kohima have been diverted towards the Jostoma village route, from near the KMC toll tax booth. Vehicles coming from Dimapur are plying towards the Jotsoma by-pass.
In July 2018, monsoon downpour had damaged the same stretch of road, cutting-off the district completely from Dimapur. It took nearly three months to restore the road and was reopened only on September 29, 2018.
