Ukhrul lifeline crumbling: NH-102A turns treacherous with onset of monsoon, villagers and commuters cry foul

The 96-kilometre-long Ukhrul-Toloi-Tadubi section of National Highway 102A, hailed as the lifeline of Ukhrul district connecting it to Senapati, Tadubi, and Dimapur, is fast turning into a nightmare for commuters and residents as the monsoon exposes major lapses in construction and road safety.
Despite multi-crore contracts awarded to various firms — M/s SS Builders-Ganpati Builders (JV) for Package 2 (41.4 km), M/s Satish Aggrawal & Co. for Package 3 (31 km), and M/s A K Shivhare Infrastructure Ltd. for Package 4 (23.9 km) — the current condition of the road raises serious questions about construction quality, supervision, and accountability.
A ground inspection by Ukhrul-based journalists from Ukhrul to Ngari River on Saturday revealed multiple active landslides, rockfalls, and fresh erosion sites along NH-102A. Black topping work, recently carried out in patches, is already wearing off. In some sections, ongoing clearance work has barely kept the highway navigable.
Villagers settled along the highway voiced strong discontent. Daniel Kashung of Hoomi Vokngayar lamented, “We don’t understand the technical rules, but what we see is dangerous. The road is winding and not straight as promised. The black topping is already gone in many parts. Is this what we’re expected to live with?”
Horeingam Zingkhai, Joint Secretary of the Hoomi Vokngayar Development Committee, added, “The cutting of the road is steep and poorly designed. The monsoon has barely begun, and we’re already witnessing rockslides. If this is the beginning, we dread what August will bring.”
A public transport driver operating on the Ukhrul-Dimapur route, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that they are being forced to reroute due to blocked sections. “We’re losing time and fuel, and passengers are suffering. The road is falling apart,” he said.
From Talui village, Nganaopam Rungsung emphasized the dangerous conditions: “The bench cutting is either missing or inadequate. Slopes are collapsing. How will this road survive till next year? Or even the next storm?”
While the scheduled completion dates for the three road packages range from March 2025 to March 2026, the situation on the ground paints a grim picture. The steep, vertical cutting of hillsides without proper terracing or retaining walls appears to be the root cause of frequent slides.
The monsoon, expected to last through August and into early September, is only just beginning — and already, NH-102A is being seen less as a lifeline and more as a liability.
Locals and commuters are now appealing to the concerned authorities, including the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, state PWD, and the contractors, to immediately address the unsafe conditions. A thorough independent audit and urgent remedial measures are being demanded before further tragedies strike.
The question looms large: How many lives must be put at risk before accountability kicks in?