The crumbling state of roads in Nagaland is a man-made disaster, a direct result of systemic failure, deep-rooted corruption, and a government that has forgotten its duty.
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Fellow Nagas,
We have all witnessed it, season after season. The first heavy rains arrive, and our roads—our vital lifelines—are washed away. Rivers flow where vehicles once travelled, communities are cut off, and our economy grinds to a halt. We shake our heads, blame the weather, and resign ourselves to another year of hardship.
But it is time we ask ourselves a difficult question: Is nature alone to blame?
The truth is, the crumbling state of our infrastructure is a man-made disaster. It is a direct result of systemic failure, deep-rooted corruption, and a government that has forgotten its duty to the people. When a recently built road vanishes into a landslide, what about the others constructed just a few monsoons ago? Did they last? This is not an act of God—it is a sign of a broken system.
Where Did We Go Wrong?
1. Our Lifeline is Broken: First, we must face a hard truth. Our state, with its beautiful but challenging hilly terrain, has no ocean port, minimal railway connectivity except in Dimapur, and limited air connectivity. Our future, our economy, and our daily survival depend entirely on one thing: a network of good, reliable roads. This is not a luxury; it is an absolute necessity. Yet, our sole major connectivity is by road, and it is tragically below par. This isolation is no longer due to geography but to a profound failure of governance.
2. Faulty Planning from the Start: The foundation of any strong road is a robust Detailed Project Report (DPR). In Nagaland, these crucial blueprints are often prepared without even visiting the site, and not by accredited, experienced engineers, but by contractors whose primary goal is to get the project sanctioned. The result? Designs that ignore our difficult terrain, specify substandard materials, and are doomed to fail from the beginning. The government departments, meant to be guardians of quality, simply rubber-stamp these faulty plans.
3. The Cancer of Corruption: Even if a good DPR is made, the project is bled dry before a single stone is laid. A vicious cycle of deductions—"minister's share," "bureaucrat's share," "technocrat's share," and taxes from various groups—siphons off a huge portion of the funds. What remains is barely enough for shoddy work. The contractor, to make a profit, uses poor materials and cuts corners. The public is left with a fragile road that cannot survive the first downpour.
4. Neglect and Inequality: Despite our total dependence on roads, the government's focus is not on development for all, but on funneling public money into a few select pockets. It is an open secret that projects are approved and funds are allocated not based on public need, but on political loyalty and cronyism, disproportionately benefiting a few districts over others. This is not development; it is discrimination.
This neglect is creating a society of "haves" and "have-nots," where access to basic amenities depends on who you know, not on your rights as a citizen.
A Final Warning and the Solution
We cannot control the rain, but we can control the quality of our roads and the integrity of our leaders. The current government, operating with virtually no opposition, has become complacent and unaccountable. This is a final warning to all those in power: Amend your ways now. Focus on your sacred duty to the people, not on enriching yourselves and your cronies. The time is nearing when the people of Nagaland will no longer be silenced by money power. We will demand justice and accountability for every rupee stolen and for every life lost due to neglect.
The solution lies in our collective public action.
1. Demand Transparency: We must insist that every DPR for public projects is made available online for public scrutiny.
2. Zero Tolerance for Corruption: We must break the silence. The system of "shares" is theft. We need to empower anti-corruption bodies and demand social audits of all major projects. Every citizen must become a watchdog.
3. Vote for Change and Equitable Development: The next elections are a referendum on our survival. We must elect leaders with integrity and a vision for equitable development—not those who serve only themselves and their own circles.
4. Empower Community Monitoring: Local communities and village councils must be formally involved in monitoring road projects. Their oversight is a powerful tool against corruption.
Our Future is in Our Hands
To continue on this path is to surrender to a bleak future. We deserve a government that sees all of Nagaland as its home. We deserve roads that connect us to opportunities, not to failures.
It is high time we come to our senses. Let us demand accountability. Let us demand equitable development. Let us vote for a Nagaland where every citizen can travel on a road that is built to last.
The power to build a better Nagaland does not lie in Kohima alone. It lies with us, the people.
Kuknalim.
Sincerely,
L Senti Yanger,
A concerned citizen of Nagaland.