National Highway-29 (Kohima-Dimapur) has been cut off as land-slide at Dzüdza village, which has been causing significant disruptions over the past several days, has worsened with continuous rainfall.
On Monday, the landslide entirely cut off traffic movement as authorities struggled to restore the road amidst the challenging weather conditions.
Sechü Zubza Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) confirmed that the restoration efforts were severely hampered by incessant rain, leaving no certainty as to when the road would be fully operational again.
“We are unable to guarantee when the road will be restored,” SDO (C) stated. He said that the downpour had made it nearly impossible to clear the debris effectively.
SDO (C) noted that while the road was briefly reopened on Monday night, allowing many stranded vehicles to pass, a fresh wave of mud slurry covered the road by morning, undoing the previous night’s clearance efforts.
The affected section of the highway is maintained by the construction company Brand Eagle, and approximately 80 meters of the road and 300 meters above the highway have been impact-ed by the landslide. SDO (C) informed that due to the substantial amount of soil and debris brought down by the relentless rain on Sunday evening and Monday, the road would remain closed throughout Mon-day night.
On the dangers posed by the current state of the road, SDO (C) urged travellers to avoid the route for their own safety.
For light vehicles, the SDO (C) recommended alternate routes; traveling toward Dimapur could use the Sechüma road, while those heading to Kohima could take the Peducha-Tsiesema road.
However, he cautioned that those routes were not in optimal condition due to the inclement weather, though they remained passable.
One official also said that vehicular movement was entirely halted as of Monday. He stressed that the road had become too hazardous for vehicles, adding the restoration work was being significantly delayed by the weather.
Hundreds of heavy-duty transport vehicles remained stranded on the highway, with no clear timeline for when the road might reopen. Earlier on Saturday, the local administration issued a travel advisory, urging commuters to use the aforementioned alternate routes. The Deputy Commissioner Kohima had also issued an evacuation order for residents and shop owners in the affected area, warning of the worsening landslide and the potential for further damage.
As the region grapples with these challenges, travelers and residents were urged to stay in-formed and take necessary precautions during this period of uncertainty. For those traveling from Kohima to Dimapur, routes through Jotsoma-Khonoma-Mezoma-Sechüma-Sechü Zubza or Dzüdza Bridge-Mezo Basa-Sechüma-Sechü Zubza are recommended. For travel from Dimapur to Kohima, the Peducha Bridge-Tsiesema (10 Mile Road) route has been suggested.